Risotto with seafood and saffron
Create a deliciously authentic Italian meal in less than an hour with this mouth-watering seafood and saffron risotto recipe! Packed with fish, prawns, clams and squid, this dish is a must-try for seafood lovers.
- 30 mins preparation
- 20 mins cooking
- Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 1.5 litres fish stock*
- Pinch saffron threads
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 onion, ½ roughly chopped, ½ finely diced
- 2-3 stalks parsley (with leaves on)
- 350-400 g white fish, cut into bite-sized pieces (we used monkfish as it keeps its shape and texture)
- 250 g prawn cutlets
- 1 squid tube, thinly sliced
- 500 g cockles/clams in the shell – washed and scrubbed
- 40 g butter
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
- Juice and zest 1 lemon
- Parsley leaves, torn, to garnish
Method
- 1In a large saucepan heat stock, saffron, garlic, roughly chopped onion and parsley stalks to a simmer. Add fish and simmer for 2-3 minutes then remove fish with slotted spoon and set aside; repeat with prawns and then squid, cooking each until just tender then removing.
- 2Steam cockles in a little water until they open (discard any that don't open).
- 3Strain the hot stock and set aside; you should have at least 1 litre.
- 4Heat butter in a large, heavy-based pot or deep frying pan on low heat, add diced onion and sweat for a few minutes until soft and fragrant but not coloured. Add rice, turn up heat a bit and cook for a few minutes until lightly toasted. Add wine and let it evaporate off.
- 5Add ½ cup hot stock and stir until absorbed; repeat with another ½ cup, and so on. After 15-20 minutes the rice should be al dente and most of the stock used up. Stir in parmesan and check seasoning; the risotto should be very moist and have a little liquid around it. Add cooked seafood and fold through; add a squeeze of lemon if needed. Serve in shallow bowls, sprinkled with lemon zest, parsley and a grind of pepper.
Notes
*Check label if eating gluten free