RECIPE: Shrimp with a champagne, shallot herb butter sauce over lemon risotto

Do you have left over champagne still from New Year’s Eve, but feel bad throwing it away. There are a lot of things you can do with left over champagne, and quite a few posts online that can give you some ideas-like champagne vinegar! But we made something more delicious. It’s somewhat light, and you can use scallops or sea bass atop the risotto if you don’t like shrimp.

Are you asking, who ever has left over champagne?

We do. We prefer Prosecco, but sometimes events dictate champagne. So when we have it, we don’t really finish it.

2-3 cups Champagne or Prosecco

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

1 sprig of tarragon (about 4″ in length)

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

1 clove of garlic cut in half

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1 cup Champagne 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons chopped shallots

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

28-30 extra-large uncooked shrimp (8-12 count, approx 4-5 shrimp per person), peeled with tail left intact, deveined

2 tablespoon minced fresh chives

2 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, sliced

For sauce:
Combine Champagne, vinegar, tarragon, shallots, and peppercorns in medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup liquid, about 20-30 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

For shrimp:
Chop chives, tarragon, and parsley and mix herbs in small bowl. Combine Champagne, olive oil, shallots, ground pepper and 1/2 of the three herbs in resealable plastic bag. Add shrimp to the bag and seal; shake bag to coat shrimp. Marinate shrimp at room temperature at least 1 – 1 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally. 

Preheat broiler. Spray broiler pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Remove shrimp from marinade and arrange them on broiler pan in single layer. Broil shrimp until just opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. 

Rewarm Champagne sauce over medium-low heat. Whisk in butter 2 pieces at a time, allowing pieces to melt before adding next (do not boil or sauce will separate). Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Place about a cup of lemon risotto in the middle of a plate. Stand 4-5 shrimp, tails upright, in center of each plate over risotto. Spoon a small amount of warm sauce on each shrimp and then more around the risotto. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and grated parmesan. Add an optional side of asparagus or haricot verts (small green beans).

5 cups chicken base or chicken stock

1 cup vegetable base

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, minced

2 clove garlic, minced

2 cups arborio rice 

1/2 cup Champagne, Prosecco or dry white wine

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces) + 1/2 cup for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Simmer stock/base in medium saucepan over low heat. Melt butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium/high heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add rice and stir 1-2 minutes. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1-2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is soft and creamy, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese, parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper to taste.