Risotto agli Scampi

Scampi are not shrimp. This is the first thing Americans must understand. Scampi are langoustines, slender creatures with delicate claws and flesh so sweet it borders on floral. In Venice, fishermen have pulled them from the Adriatic for centuries, and Venetian cooks learned long ago that such ingredients require restraint, not elaboration.

The technique here differs from risotto alla Milanese. Venetians prefer their risotto all'onda, flowing like a wave when you shake the pan. It should spread gently across the plate, not sit in a stiff mound. This looser consistency requires confidence and timing. You must know when to stop adding broth, when to pull the pan from heat, when the rice has surrendered just enough of its starch.

The shells are not waste. They are treasure. You will simmer them with aromatics to create a broth that carries the essence of the sea into every grain of rice. The scampi themselves cook for mere minutes at the end. Overcook them by thirty seconds and you have rubber. This demands your attention. Put down your phone. Watch the pan.