Italian Recipes - Fish Risotto Recipe

  
 

Italian Fish and Shellfish Recipes - Fish Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/4-1/2 cup unsalted butter

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped

  • 1 celery stick, sliced

  • 1 thyme sprig

  • 2 parsley sprigs

  • 1 mace blade

  • 1 small onion, left whole and studded with 2 cloves

  • 5-6 cups hot Fish Stock

  • 1 3/4-2 1/2 cups risotto rice

  • 2/3 cup dry white wine

  • 1 pound monkfish, haddock, halibut, or other firm white fish fillets, skinned and cubed

  • 2 small red mullet, heads and tails removed, cut into 1-inch slices (optional)

  • 3-4 saffron threads (optional)

  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  • 10 ounces cooked shrimp in their shells

  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus extra to serve

  • sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

  • finely chopped parsley, to garnish

Serves 6-8

Method:

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened but not colored.

  2. Meanwhile, tie the celery, thyme, parsley, mace blade, and studded onion in a  piece of cheesecloth and add to the pan of fish stock. Bring just to boiling point, then keep at a gentle simmer.

  3. Add the rice (use a larger amount if omitting the mullet) to the onions and stir well to coat the grains with the butter. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until almost all the liquid has evaporated.

  4. Add the hot stock, a large ladleful at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed into the rice. Continue adding stock in this way until you have added about 4 1/2 cups.

  5. Add the monkfish and red mullet slices, if using, then pour in a little more stock and cook for 4-5 minutes.

  6. Put the saffron, if using, in a small bowl, and pour over 3-4 tablespoons of the stock. Stir quickly to start the color running, then set aside.

  7. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small pan, add the garlic and shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir into the risotto. Add the saffron liquid and another ladleful of stock, cooking until the rice is creamy but the grains are still firm. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  8. Add the remaining butter and the Parmesan, stirring until melted. Cover and leave the risotto to rest for a few minutes before sprinkling with parsley and serving with more Parmesan.