This Seafood Risotto will have your kitchen smelling like an expensive seafood restaurant!
I served it on the patio on a summer evening and my friends could smell it before I turned the corner to the table area!
If aromas are an important part of winetasting enjoyment I think the same would go for our dinner dishes!
You can vary the seafood to suit yourself. I used lobster and shrimp. To be honest.. the lobster flavour kind of got lost until you actually got a bite of lobster in the mix. The shrimp would be a mainstay I would say but you could also consider bay scallops or mussels as your second seafood choice.
If you are lucky enough to live in a coastal area where seafood abounds then go wild with crab or lobster to suit your taste!
Chef's Tips for Seafood Risotto
- You can vary the seafood that you use. If it isn't precooked then add it during the last 3-4 minutes of the risotto cooking.
- Do not skip the clam juice. The seafood flavours are mild and it is the clam juice that permeates every bit.
- Saffron is recommended. If you don't have saffron consider a ½-1 teaspoon or so of paprika.
Wine Pairing for Seafood Risotto
This dish is a pleasure to pair! Choose a dry white wine. Ideally the one you use in the recipe! I chose a Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (Melon Blanc). It is a mild, dry white. Having said that - go with your favourite dry or off-dry white!
Seafood Risotto
Equipment
- 1 large sauté pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups clam juice
- 3 cups water
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion
- ½ cup carrot
- ½ cup celery
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- generous pinch of saffron
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup grated parmesan
- 1 lb cooked lobster can sustitute cooked bay scallops or cooked mussels
- 1 lb cooked shrimp
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- chives or parsley for garnish
- fresh lemon wedges for serving optional
Instructions
- Combine clam juice and water and heat in microwave.
- Rough chop onion, carrot and celery (trimmed and cleaned) in food processor.
- Heat olive oil in a large sauce saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and cook until starting to soften - about 5 minutes. Add the rice and saffron and stir to coat/combine -about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook a couple of minutes until it is absorbed. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add 1 cup of the clam juice mixture at a time. Cook, stirring until almost absorbed - 3-4 minutes. Continue adding a cup at a time and stirring until almost absorbed after each addition. (25-30 minutes total).
- Remove pan from the heat and add the parmesan, stirring to help it melt. Add the seafood, salt and pepper. Return to the heat for 2-3 minutes just enough to heat through.
- Serve with fresh parsley or chive garnish and individual lemon wedges if desired.
- Best immediately after made but leftovers will keep 1 day in the fridge.
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