THIS WEEK’S RECIPE
Fisherman's Risotto
Makes 4 main course
servings
Risotto
1
tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 or 3
tablespoons additional oil to finish the risotto
1
tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small
yellow onion, peeled and chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cups Arborio
rice
1 cup dry
white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
4 to 5
cups canned low-sodium stock, heated
Pescatore Sauce
2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 large
cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 pound Manila, littleneck, or cherrystone clams, scrubbed and
purged
1/2 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup squid (bodies only), cleaned, split lengthwise, cut
crosswise into thin slices
1 cup dry
white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
2
tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley plus additional for
sprinkling
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, pinch of red pepper
flakes, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper
To make the risotto:
In a large heavy skillet or saucepan,
heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter over medium-high heat until hot.
Stir in the onion and cook until it is soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the rice, stirring to coat thoroughly with the oil, and cook for 3 to 4
minutes until the grains look opaque. Pour in the wine and cook it over high
heat until the liquid almost completely evaporates, stirring constantly.
Adjust the heat down to medium-low.
Slowly add the heated stock — add 1/2 cup at a time — so that the
rice stays wet but is never completely covered with liquid. Stir continuously.
Once the rice absorbs all of the first amount of stock, continue adding 1/2
cupfuls of stock, letting each be absorbed before continuing with the next, and
stirring constantly. Be patient and keep the heat on low. You should see the
steam when you add the stock, but the rice should not stick.
Continue cooking until the rice is tender
but still has a tiny hard spot in the center, 17 to 19 minutes of simmering
time. The amount of liquid to be added can vary, but you should reserve 1/3 cup
of stock to loosen the risotto before serving.
Have ready four, heated, flat bowls. Once
the risotto is al dente, remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons
of the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and the final 1/3 cup of stock.
Tent the pan with aluminum foil and keep
it warm over very low heat until ready to prepare the sauce, then ladle the
risotto into the bowls, shaking or tapping each dish to spread it evenly in the
bottom.
To make the pescatore sauce:
In a large deep skillet or saucepan, heat
the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and cook,
stirring, until lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Add the clams, mussels, shrimp,
and squid, cover, and cook until the shrimp are pink and cooked, and the clams
and mussels have opened — 5 to 6 minutes. Discard any shellfish that do
not open. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the shellfish onto the risotto.
Pour the wine into the pan and add the tomatoes, parsley and red
pepper flakes. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat and cook, mashing the
tomatoes a bit with the back of a wooden spoon, until reduced by half — 1
to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the reduced broth
over the shellfish and risotto. Top with a little parsley and a final drizzle
of extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.