Kritharoto is a local type of risotto for the Greeks who typically use this thick type of rice when they cook succulent dishes. Due to its shape and size, kritharaki can absorb so much juice from the dish giving it the perfect texture.
Add langoustines on tomato sauce and you have one of the most delicious seafood dishes!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 onion, grated
- pinch salt
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tablespoons white wine
- 200g passata
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper
- knob butter
- 75g orzo pasta or kritharaki (local thick rice variety)
- 6 raw langoustines, defrosted if frozen
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a frying pan with a lid, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time, until the onion is soft and translucent. Do not allow the onion to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the wine. Let bubble for a couple for minutes, then add the pasatta (pureé), paprika, vinegar and a generous grind of black pepper. Simmer on a very low heat for 15 minutes, adding a little water if it seems as though it might dry out.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan and, when it is foaming, add the orzo. Sauté, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes until golden. Tip the contents of the orzo pan into the tomato pan and add about 75 ml of water. Bring to a simmer, then cook for a couple of minutes.
- Snip the antennae from the langoustines and discard them. Lay the langoustines on top of the sauce, add 50 ml of water and clamp the lid on. Increase the heat to low medium and cook for 7 minutes, or until the langoustines are cooked (the flesh will turn white). Serve immediately, with plenty of napkins.
Source: The Islands of Greece by Rebecca Seal
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