Seafood risotto

This recipe comes from Italy’s Campania region, where seafood is in abundance.

Seafood risotto.

One of my favourite things about my family’s home town, Naples, is the variety of flavours, textures and techniques in the cuisine. Much of it comes from the traditions of the Campania region, with regional ingredients and seafood in abundance.

Seafood risotto

18 vongole (clams) | 60ml extra virgin olive oil | 1 garlic clove | 1 chilli, finely chopped, to taste | 12 large or 16-20 small prawns | 12 scallops | 18 mussels, scrubbed | 10 basil leaves, shredded | 20ml white wine | 150ml fish stock | 50ml Napoli pasta sauce | Salt and pepper, to taste
Risotto: 50ml extra virgin olive oil | 1 onion, diced | 300g carnaroli (risotto) rice | 150ml white wine | 1 litre fish stock | 1 tablespoon unsalted butter | 1 handful flat-leaf parsley

Place vongole in salted water for 1 hour to clean. Put olive oil, garlic and chilli in a pan. Cook gently until garlic begins to brown; add prawns and scallops. Cook for about 2 minutes; add mussels and vongole. Add basil. Cover with a lid to steam. Remove lid and glaze with white wine. Add fish stock and simmer for about 3 minutes. Add a little Napoli sauce. Set aside until rice is ready.

To make the risotto, add extra virgin olive oil to a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until transparent. Add rice and cook over low heat. Once rice is lightly toasted, add white wine and cook until it is fully evaporated. Add a third of the fish stock and stir until absorbed. Repeat by thirds until all fish stock has been used. Add all the seafood in its sauce and cook to a creamy consistency, stirring gently with a wooden spoon over medium heat. Once liquid has reduced, remove from heat; add butter and parsley and stir quickly until butter dissolves. Serves 6

Johnny Di Francesco is a Melbourne-based chef and restaurateur. Extract from Food of Naples by Johnny Di Francesco (New Holland, $45).