Name: Seafood Risotto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Ingredients: 6 cups fish stock; 3 tablespoons butter (and/or olive oil); 2 onions (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 cups Arborio rice; 1 cup dry white wine; 1/2 pound rock shrimp (local, peeled); 1/2 pound bay scallops (small); 1/2 pound mussels (cleaned); 1/2 pound squid (cleaned and cut into rings); 1 handful Italian parsley (chopped); Salt and freshly ground pepper; Juice of 1/2 lemon (olive oil, or lemon-infused olive oil)

By Krista Harris

Large-rimmed white bowls full of seafood risotto. — Photo: Colin Quirt

Inspired by Dario Furlati of Ca’ Dario, this is a flexible risotto dish that showcases whatever fresh, local seafood is in season. Feel free to use a mix of the seafood or use fish. Traditionally seafood risotto is not finished with Parmesan cheese, but some lemon and olive oil or a lemon-infused olive oil is a good final touch.

Ingredients

6 cups fish stock
3 tablespoons butter, and/or olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ pound rock shrimp, local, peeled
½ pound bay scallops, small
½ pound mussels, cleaned
½ pound squid, cleaned and cut into rings
1 handful Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon, olive oil, or lemon-infused olive oil

Instructions

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover the broth and keep it warm over very low heat.
Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes, until the rice is toasted. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute.
Add 1½ cups of hot stock; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Repeat, adding 1½ cups of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer. Add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the Italian parsley. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the shrimp, scallops and squid. Sauté until just done and then stir them into the risotto. Steam the mussels until they open. Top the risotto with the mussels. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.