Creamy, comforting, and bursting with flavor, this seafood rice dish will instantly transform an ordinary weeknight meal into a gourmet affair.

Serves 4

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cooking Time 40 minutes

For the Risotto:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup coarsely chopped honey-cured bacon

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup chopped white onions

1/2 cup chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 to 6 cups chicken stock, warmed

1 cup asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into

1-inch lengths, and blanched

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

12 medium prawns or 8 large tiger prawns, shelled and deveined, with tails left on salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Directions:

1 Make the risotto: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté bacon to render fat. Set bacon aside.

2 In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté onions until translucent. Add leeks and sauté until soft. Add rice and stir continuously; cook until edges of grains are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes.

3 Increase heat to high and add white wine. Cook until wine has evaporated. Add ½ cup warm stock and stir continuously until stock has been completely absorbed by the rice. Continue adding stock ½ cup at a time, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. (This process will take about 20 minutes. You should add about 5 cups of stock in total.)

4 Once liquid is creamy and the grains are cooked but still slightly firm in the center, add blanched asparagus and bacon. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, juice, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; mix well.

5 Season prawns with salt and pepper. Divide prawns into two batches. Heat a grill pan or an iron skillet over high heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and sear first batch of prawns just until prawns turn pink; set aside. Repeat with the remaining batch.

6 Portion risotto among individual serving plates and top each plate with 3 medium prawns or 2 tiger prawns. Serve immediately.

Photography by Patrick Martires | Recipe by Rachelle Santos

This story originally appeared on Yummy.ph.

* Minor edits have been made by the Femalenetwork.com editors.