Shrimp Risotto with Baby Peas

This is another really impressive looking dish, and it is just as delicious as it looks.  Be sure to buy shrimp in the shells for this dish.  Making a quick stock with the shells gives this pretty risotto a more complex flavor.  

4 cups water

1 3/4 cups chicken, vegetable, or homemade broth

1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved

1 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup frozen baby peas

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine water, broth, and shrimp shells.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.  Strain broth into a bowl and measure.  If needed, add water to equal 5 1/2 cups.  Return broth to same clean saucepan; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat to maintain simmer, cover.

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat.  Add shrimp, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, until shrimp are just opaque throughout, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.

In the same saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add rice and remaining 1 tsp salt; cook, stirring frequently, until rice grains are opaque.  Add wine; cook until wine has been absorbed.  Add about 1/2 cup simmering broth to rice; stir until liquid has been absorbed.  Continue cooking, adding remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring after each addition, until all liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender but still firm, about 25 minutes.  (Risotto should have a creamy consistency.)  Stir in frozen peas and shrimp and heat through.  Sprinkle on parsley and serve.