Shrimp Risotto with Tomatoes and Basil

This risotto is loosely based a recipe from “Fish Without a Doubt” by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore. The starchy, creamy consistency of carnaroli (or Arborio) rice is a perfect backdrop for the briny-sweet flavor of plump, perfectly cooked shrimp; juicy tomatoes; and fresh, fragrant basil. Classic risotto-cooking technique calls for adding hot broth in several additions to the rice as it cooks, as well as for constant stirring. Our simplified method adds the liquid in just two batches, and frequently but vigorous stirring coaxes the starch from the grains, yielding a rich, velvety risotto with minimal effort.