![Perfect risotto Seafood risotto in a bowl with spoon](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/2/2020/04/OLI-0420-GetItRight-SeafoodRisotto_04223editjh-f89dc4b-scaled-e1649330832569.jpg?quality=90&crop=7px,8px,1905px,1730px&resize=556,505)
Perfect risotto
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 2-3
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bulb fennel, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 200g carnaroli or arborio rice
- 150ml white wine
- 1.2 litres fish or light chicken stock
- 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150g mussels or clams
- 1 cleaned hood squid, cut into 1cm rings
- 150g raw peeled prawns, butterflied
- 75g parmesan, finely grated
- a good knob butter
- lemon, a squeeze of juice, plus wedges to serve
- a small handful flat-leaf parsley
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat and add the fennel and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes until the fennel is soft and starting to caramelise. Tip in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a minute, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until all of the grains of rice are coated in oil and they begin to toast slightly. Pour in the wine and bubble for 2-3 minutes or until reduced slightly.
- STEP 2
Put the stock into a pan and heat until just under a simmer. Add a ladleful of the hot stock to the rice, stirring constantly, only adding more once the previous batch has been absorbed. Cook for 15 minutes, then taste the rice. It should be nearly cooked but still a little chalky. Add the cherry tomatoes, mussels, squid and prawns and cook gently until the mussels open and the prawns turn pink, adding more stock so that the risotto stays saucy.
- STEP 3
Season and add the parmesan, butter and lemon juice, stirring until melted and combined.
- STEP 4
Leave to rest with a lid on for a few minutes, then spoon into shallow bowls, scatter over the parsley and serve with lemon wedges.