Seafood risotto

This is seafood risotto is a show-stopper — yet it’s intrinsically simple. The real magic happens towards the end of the cooking.

Silvia Colloca’s seafood risotto. Picture: Rob Palmer

This is a true show-stopper yet intrinsically simple, especially if you are familiar with the basic steps of risotto making. The real magic happens towards the end when the seafood is added, turning a bowl of rice into a memorable dish. As always with risotto, timing is of the essence. Make sure your guests are ready to receive their bowl of perfectly creamy deliciousness, as risotto needs to be eaten, and honoured, as soon as it’s served.

Guest chef Silvia Colloca

RISOTTO AI FRUTTI DI MARE (Seafood risotto)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

350g carnaroli or arborio rice

125ml (½ cup) dry white wine

2 litres vegetable or fish stock, heated to a gentle simmer

16 mussels, scrubbed and debearded (see tips)

8 raw king prawns, peeled and deveined

8 scallops, roe removed

2-3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the rice and cook, stirring well, for 1 minute or until the grains are translucent. Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble away for 2-3 minutes or until the alcohol has evaporated.

Turn heat to medium-low and start adding the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring gently and waiting until the rice has absorbed the stock before adding more. Continue adding stock, occasionally giving it a gentle stir until the rice is three-quarters cooked, about 13-14 minutes. Add mussels; keep cooking as before, adding stock and gently stirring until the mussels have opened and the rice is al dente, another 3-4 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining butter and one ladleful of stock. Season to your liking and stir vigorously to release the starch and create the classic all’onda (like a wave) texture. If the mussel shells are in the way, remove them from the pan before stirring, then add them back in. Add the prawns and scallops and stir well to cover the seafood with the rice. Cover and let the risotto rest to allow the residual heat to just cook the prawns and scallops and to create the perfect mantecatura (creaminess).

Shake the pan, then spoon the risotto into shallow bowls (if served in deep bowls it keeps cooking; you don’t want this). Scatter with parsley and lemon zest, sprinkle with a little more pepper, if desired, and serve immediately. Serves 4

The Italian Home Cook

Edited extract from The Italian Home Cook by Silvia Colloca (Plum, $44.99), out August 30. Photography: Rob Palmer.