Risotto with Mantis Shrimp

Method

1. Clean the mantis shrimp: cut off the heads, then using kitchen scissors, cut the shell along the sides to open it. Remove the tail meat. Reserve the tails and keep the heads and shells for the broth.
2. Prepare the broth base: in a pot, add the heads and shells, chopped celery, carrot, half of the shallot, garlic clove (crushed in skin), and parsley stems. Sauté with olive oil, crushing the heads to release juices. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
3. Shock the broth with 5-6 ice cubes. Once melted, add water (or optional clam broth) and salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. While the broth simmers, toast the rice: in a dry pan over medium-low heat, toast the rice until it turns slightly white and smells like bread. Remove from the pan to prevent further cooking.
5. Finely chop the remaining half of the shallot. In a separate pot, sauté the shallot in olive oil until translucent. Add the toasted rice and stir well. Deglaze with white wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates. Start the timer: the rice will need 15-18 minutes to cook.
6. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, pressing down on the solids to extract all the flavor. Discard the solids. Keep the broth at room temperature.
7. Add a ladle of broth to the rice and stir gently. Continue adding broth as needed, waiting for the broth to come to a boil before stirring. Cook until the rice is al dente after about 15 minutes.
8. When the rice is almost al dente, add the mantis shrimp tails. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
9. Remove the pot from the heat. Add butter, chopped parsley, and pepper. Stir vigorously until the butter is fully melted and the risotto is creamy (mantecatura).
10. Cover the pot and let the risotto rest for 2 minutes.
11. Serve immediately. Optionally garnish with a sprinkle of pink pepper and a whole mantis shrimp if desired.