Dalmatia is a region filled with cooking traditions, interesting ingredients rich in flavors and aromas, and Mediterranean recipes which are known for their simpleness and amazing blend of seafood, vegetables, and seasonings.
White risotto with prawns is a classic dish when it comes to the Croatian coast and islands. It has an amazing texture and a beautiful mixture of different aromas and nuances. If you’re a fan of classic and traditional dishes which are not only delicious but simple to make too, a white risotto with prawns might completely seduce you!
Simple Dalmatian Diet Through History
Risotto originates from Italy, 1791. It presents a simple dish made of rice and some key ingredients such as seafood, mushrooms, meat, prosciutto, vegetables, and others. Since it can be so versatile, there are a lot of recipes for its preparation. Due to that, you can find different recipes in each region of Croatia and probably different recipes from town to town! But, despite that, when it comes to Dalmatia, rice with seafood is a must in every restaurant and household.
Mediterranean diet is widespread throughout Dalmatia (and a must-try while sailing the Adriatic!). That means that people use classic and accessible ingredients and turn them into simple but amazing dishes. There is no secret that Dalmatia has been influenced by Italy, Greece, and other cultures, civilizations, and countries, so the basis of Dalmatian cuisine presents a mixture of all those influences. People took that base, added some local and accessible ingredients, as well as knowledge, and turn them into an amazing traditional cuisine that is now known in the world.
Since life on the island isn’t easy, in the past, people used ingredients that were not only accessible to them but the ones which are also suitable for their material possibilities. Due to the sea, the fish was their main ingredient so in the combination with Italian influence, Dalmatia got its classic, traditional, and signature white risotto with prawns.
Variations & Preparations
As we already mentioned, risotto can be prepared with different ingredients, but when it comes to Dalmatia, seafood leads the way!
White risotto can be prepared with prawns, shrimps, mussels, and other seafood. The basis for risotto for all these ingredients is the same – rice, wine, onion, and olive oil. After that, you can add whatever seafood ingredient you want! We decided to make it traditionally with prawns – simply, easily, and tasty. Prawns are similar to shrimps but they are typically larger than them. They are quite tasty and they bring a bit of sea depth into the risotto. Now, in order to make a deliciously creamy risotto, make sure to use the cooking cream. It brings all the ingredients together into a nice mixture of rice and prawns with a touch of wine and seasonings.
The variation of this dish is a black risotto – it has a specific dark color due to the usage of cuttlefish and calamari, but will talk more about it in the coming months! Until then, let’s prepare a traditional Dalmatian dish – delicious and creamy white risotto with prawns!
Cut the onion and garlic. Put them into a baking pan with olive oil. Cook all the ingredients for a couple of minutes on a light fire.
Add rice and white wine. Once the wine evaporates, add a bit of salt, pepper, a teaspoon of Vegeta, and prawns. Mix all the ingredients. Let them rest on the light fire. Make sure to stir the mixture occasionally. Add water from time to time, no need to rush since the water must evaporate entirely.
Once the rice is cooked (usually takes up 15 to 20 minutes), add cooking cream to the mixture. Add a bit of parsley if you like. Cook everything for 15 minutes and the risotto is done!
Serve the risotto with white wine to compliment all the flavors!
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the onion and garlic. Put them into a baking pan with olive oil. Cook all the ingredients for a couple of minutes on a light fire.
Add rice and white wine. Once the wine evaporates, add a bit of salt, pepper, a teaspoon of Vegeta, and prawns. Mix all the ingredients. Let them rest on the light fire. Make sure to stir the mixture occasionally. Add water from time to time, no need to rush since the water must evaporate entirely.
Once the rice is cooked (usually takes up 15 to 20 minutes), add cooking cream to the mixture. Add a bit of parsley if you like. Cook everything for 15 minutes and the risotto is done!
Serve the risotto with white wine to compliment all the flavors!
Simple and delicious with a touch of sea depth – that’s the best way to describe Dalmatian white risotto with prawns! To make a risotto according to the Dalmatian traditional recipe, use olive oil for the base. In order to get the perfect creaminess, make sure to use the cooking cream. It beautifully connects all the ingredients into an amazing palette of flavors, aromas, and texture! Also, to get the most out of those flavors, serve the dish with white wine – go with a Dalmatian wine, we recommend Pošip!
Risotto is a specialty known in the world – due to that, it can be prepared with a variety of ingredients. But, we can’t lie – the best ones are certainly made with seafood. And if you’re a true lover of seafood (like me), make sure to start your culinary adventure in Zadar and work your way to the southern parts of the country!
Now that your belly is full and your eyes are sleepy, the only thing you have to do is toss dirty dishes in the dishwasher and let her do the heavy lifting while you enjoy a glass of Pošip.
How did you like risotto? Let us know in the comments down below! Until then, enjoy ours!
