Risotto Venere con Scampi Marinati al Nanami Togarashi, Asparagi Verdi e Pesto Tigullio allo Zafferano,Venere Risotto with Nanami Togarashi Marinated Scampi, Green Asparagus and Tigullio Saffron Pesto
Risotto Venere con Scampi Marinati al Nanami Togarashi, Asparagi Verdi e Pesto Tigullio allo Zafferano
Black Venere rice risotto with Nanami Togarashi–marinated langoustines, green asparagus and Tigullio saffron pesto
“This is an experiment, and I want to make it clear from the very start that this particular rice is not suitable for risotto.”
The two essential products used in this recipe, from Peccati di Gola: Tigullio saffron pesto · Riso Gallo Venere black rice
Introduction
A dish that brings together the elegance of Italian cuisine and the aromas of Japan. Venere rice, with its nutty, whole-grain notes, meets the delicate flavor of langoustines marinated in Nanami Togarashi. Green asparagus adds freshness and lightness, while Tigullio saffron pesto gives the risotto a smooth, refined creaminess.
Venere rice is an Italian whole-grain black rice. In Italy, “scampi” are langoustines (Norway lobster); in the United States the word usually means a garlic shrimp dish. Nanami Togarashi is a Japanese seven-spice chili blend.
Ingredients
Serves 1
For the risotto
- 80 g Venere black rice (about ½ cup)
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 40 ml dry white wine (about 3 tbsp)
- 600–650 ml light fish or shellfish stock (about 2½ cups)
- 15 g cold butter (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp crème fraîche
- 2 tsp Tigullio saffron pesto
- Salt, if needed
For the marinated langoustines
- 2 large langoustines (scampi), split in half lengthwise
- 1 tsp S&B Nanami Togarashi
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of salt
For the finish
- 3 green asparagus spears, blanched but still crisp
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Marinate the langoustines
Mix the langoustines with the Nanami Togarashi, the olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes.
Take the langoustines out of the refrigerator about 5 minutes before cooking.
2. Make the risotto
Keep the stock at a very gentle simmer.
Soften the shallot in the oil without letting it brown. Add the Venere rice and toast it for 1–2 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely.
Add the hot stock gradually, one ladle at a time, stirring regularly. Cook for about 35–40 minutes, until the grains are tender but still slightly firm.
3. Mantecatura (finishing the risotto)
Cut part of the asparagus into small pieces and keep the nicest tips for plating.
Two minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the Tigullio saffron pesto, the crème fraîche and the cold butter.
Stir vigorously off the heat until the risotto is creamy and glossy. Add the asparagus pieces and adjust the salt if needed.
4. Cook the langoustines and the asparagus
Heat a frying pan with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Sear the langoustines for about 1 minute on the flesh side, then turn them briefly. They should stay juicy and tender.
In the same pan, quickly sauté the asparagus tips so they stay crisp.
5. Plating
Place a low dome of risotto in the center of a matte black plate.
Lay the four langoustine halves on top of the risotto, leaving them well in view so they keep all their aromatic character.
Place 3 or 4 asparagus tips between the langoustines and let a few pieces of asparagus show inside the risotto.
Serve immediately.
Author’s note
The stock must stay light and discreet. Its role is to support the rice and create a link with the langoustines, without covering the fresh, green taste of the asparagus or the delicate aromas of the saffron pesto. In this dish, balance matters more than intensity.
Regenerative cuisine — A meeting of sea, land and spices, where Venere rice becomes the bridge between Italian tradition and Japanese inspiration.
Allergens
Contains crustaceans (langoustines, and possibly the stock), fish (if using fish stock), milk (butter, crème fraîche) and sulphites (wine).
Nanami Togarashi usually contains sesame. Also check the label of the saffron pesto, which may contain cheese or nuts.
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