Champagne, Beet and Shrimp Risotto

A festive, blush-pink risotto for celebration days — rice deglazed with Champagne, finished with a beet cream and soy-lime, crowned with raw red shrimp and silky stracciatella.

Amount	Ingredient
12¾ oz (360 g)	Carnaroli rice
1 glass	Champagne (or quality sparkling wine)
10½ oz (300 g)	pre-cooked beets
20	red shrimp (gamberi rossi)
7 oz (200 g)	stracciatella
1 stalk	celery
1	carrot
½	white onion
1 tbsp	tomato concentrate
1	lemon, zest
4 tbsp	soy sauce
1	lime, zest and juice
	fresh marjoram
	extra-virgin olive oil
	fine salt and black pepper

This is a risotto built for a party. The rice is toasted and deglazed with a full glass of Champagne, then cooked in a shrimp-shell fumetto that gives it a deep sea-sweetness. A vivid beet cream — blended with fumetto and lime — turns the rice a stunning rosy pink, while soy sauce and lime juice add an unexpected savory-tangy edge. Cold stracciatella quenelles and raw red shrimp crown each bowl. It's creative, luxurious, and unforgettable.

Ingredient notes: Pre-cooked (vacuum-packed) beets are perfect here — just dice them. The red shrimp are served raw on top, so buy the freshest you can find. Stracciatella is the creamy interior of burrata; a good fresh burrata, torn, works as a substitute.

• Large pot (for the fumetto)
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Immersion blender
• Large saucepan (for the risotto)
• Fine colander (for draining stracciatella)

1. Clean the shrimp (10 min). Clean the shrimp and reserve all shells and heads. Cut most into small pieces; keep some whole for the garnish.
2. Build the fumetto (35 min). Dice the carrot, celery, and onion. Sauté with a drizzle of oil, the shrimp shells, and the tomato concentrate. Once toasted, cover with water, season, and simmer 30 minutes. Strain and keep hot.
3. Marinate the shrimp (5 min). Dress the shrimp with oil, salt, pepper, and lime zest.
4. Make the beet cream (5 min). Dice the beets and blend with a ladle of fumetto and the juice of half a lime until smooth.
5. Cook the risotto (18 min). Toast the rice with a pinch of salt. Deglaze with the Champagne. Cook with the fumetto, one ladle at a time.
6. Finish (3 min). Drain the stracciatella in a fine colander. When the risotto is almost ready, manteca with the beet cream, a thread of oil, soy sauce, and lime juice. Finish cooking.
7. Plate (3 min). Plate the risotto, top with stracciatella quenelles, the raw shrimp, a thread of oil, lime zest, and marjoram leaves.

• Champagne twice. The glass for deglazing is essential — its acidity cuts through the beet's earthiness.
• Soy sauce is the secret. A few tablespoons add savory depth that makes the beet taste incredible.
• Drain the stracciatella. Drying it makes beautiful quenelles instead of a puddle.
• Raw shrimp on top. The sweet, silky raw shrimp against the warm pink rice is the point of the dish.
• Keep the fumetto hot. Cold stock ruins the creaminess.
• Blend the beet cream smooth. No lumps in the pink — it should be velvet.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Cheap sparkling wine	Flat flavor	Use real Champagne or good quality Franciacorta
Beets not blended smooth	Lumpy pink rice	Blend with fumetto until velvet
Overcooked shrimp	Tough, opaque garnish	Serve raw or barely warmed
Stracciatella not drained	Watery plate	Drain in a fine colander
Too much soy	Salty, dark rice	4 tablespoons is the ceiling
Over-salting	Soy and fumetto bring salt	Taste before adding salt

• Burrata Crown: Use torn burrata instead of stracciatella.
• Saffron Champagne: Steep saffron in the first ladle for a golden-pink sunset effect.
• Goat Cheese: Crumble fresh goat cheese over the top.
• Citrus Medley: Add orange zest with the lime.
• Toasted Pistachios: Scatter crushed pistachios for color and crunch.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days (without raw shrimp).
Freezer	Not recommended — shrimp and creamy texture break.
Reheating	Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of fumetto, stirring until creamy.

This festive risotto calls for sparkling wines:

• Champagne Brut — The same wine as in the recipe — obviously.
• Franciacorta Brut — Italy's answer to Champagne.
• Gavi di Gavi — Crisp and mineral as a still alternative.
• Vermentino — Saline freshness with the shrimp.

Per Serving (about 1¼ cups)
Calories	570
Protein	27 g
Fat	19 g
Carbohydrates	70 g
Fiber	4 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

Can I use cooked beets from a jar?

Yes — that's what "pre-cooked" means here. Vacuum-packed or jarred beets both work.

Why soy sauce in an Italian risotto?

It's a chef's trick — a little umami boosts the beet's sweetness without tasting Asian. It disappears into the dish.

Are the shrimp really served raw?

Yes — gamberi rossi are sweet and safe to eat raw when very fresh. If unsure, sear them briefly instead.

What is stracciatella?

The creamy, stringy interior of burrata cheese. If unavailable, use torn burrata or fresh ricotta.

Can I make the fumetto ahead?

Yes — it freezes well for up to 3 months.

• Risotto della Regina (Volume 3)
• Risotto ai Gamberi (Volume 3)
• Risotto al Granchio Blu (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.