Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Do you smell that? The sensual scent of garlic and onions, the salty brine of simmering shellfish, and the earthy aroma of freshly chopped herbs. Now open your eyes and feast them on this outrageously delicious and romantic seafood risotto.
Risotto originally began as a peasant dish but soon rose in the ranks of gourmet food. It may be one of the most delicious European rice dishes to grace our plates, but don't let its simple appearance fool you. Risotto is notoriously tricky to make and requires a constant watchful eye (no wonder MasterChef calls it the "death dish").
What makes a good risotto?
The key to making a good risotto comes down to four things:
- Proper ingredients: Use high-starch Italian rices like arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano to ensure the texture is creamy and smooth.
- Add the liquid in increments: Gradually adding the stock allows the rice to absorb the liquid more fully and release its starches.
- Gentle stirring: While constant stirring isn't necessary, regular gentle stirring helps create the signature toothsome creaminess that we all know and love.
- Correct timing: The rice needs to be cooked for the right amount of time before it's removed from the heat and allowed to rest. The goal is to achieve a rice that is creamy but still has a firm, nutty texture, rather than being soft and mushy or crunchy.
For this risotto recipe, courtesy of Eastern Fisheries, which supplies scallops for Vital Choice, we're adding sea scallops, shrimp, and black mussels for a sea-inspired twist. Scallops are a natural aphrodisiac, so we recommend making this gourmet meal on your next date night...maybe practice it a few times first.
- 10 sea scallops
- 8 black mussels
- 8 shrimp
- 6 cups fish or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 white onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 rib celery, finely chopped
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated
- Parmesan cheese
- Scrub the mussels and pull out the beards. Discard any broken or open mussels. Rinse well and refrigerate.
- Peel and devein the shrimp leaving the tails intact. Place the shrimp in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
- Put the stock in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, garlic and celery and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons of lukewarm water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes more or until the onions have become soft. Add the rice and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the rice grains are well coated.
- Gradually add ½ cup of the hot stock to the rice, stirring constantly over low heat until all of the stock has been absorbed. Repeat, adding ½ cup of stock at a time, allowing each batch to absorb into the rice before adding the next.
- Cook and stir until the rice is tender, approximately 30-35 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Drain and set aside, discard any unopened mussels.
- Add the shrimp, scallops and remaining stock to the rice, stir well. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium-low heat until the seafood is cooked and the rice is creamy and tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the mussels and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and Parmesan and season to taste.
AUTHOR
Autumn Micketti is the SEO & Content Coordinator for 1-800-Flowers. When she's not writing about Oregold® Peaches or love songs, you can find her exploring mountains, listening to the latest album release of her current musical obsession, or spending time with her extended family.
