Simple Seafood Risotto
The best seafood risotto’s take hours of preparation, especially if your making your own fish stock. This recipe is a simple and tasty version that can be knocked up in less than half an hour using basic ingredients that you can keep on hand in your pantry and fridge. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 Cup Arborio Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
500 grams mixed seafood (see note)
2 Cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1/4 Cup chopped parsley
1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large frypan and saute the onion garlic and rice for 2-3 minutes making sure the oil coats the rice.
2. Add tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, seafood as per the note below and two ladles of the chicken stock. stir regularly over low heat. As the stock is absorbed by the rice add more stock one ladle at a time. (this should take about 15 minutes)
3. Add the remainder of the seafood and extra stock if the rice isnt cooked through yet.
4. Once the rice and remaining seafood is cooked stir parsley through and serve immediately topping with parmesan.
This dish is nice with a light salad, the parmesan is normally a compulsory part of a risotto bit I prefer to omit it with seafood risotto.
Notes
You can use a variety of different seafoods to make this risotto, for me it all depends on what’s on hand and what’s available fresh.
The simplest way I cook this is with frozen marinara mix and prawns, it’s easy to keep on hand but lacks some of the seafood flavours you’d get with fresh seafood. If you go this way then add the thawed marinara mix at step 2 and the prawns at step 3. Thaw the seafood in the fridge or on the bench. If your short of time you can use the microwave, I try to use short bursts of low power, stirring in between so the ingredients don’t cook in the microwave. Add any liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the bowl, it’s all flavour!
For the risotto that’s in the picture I used 250 grams of Marinara mix and 250 grams of fresh scallops. When using fresh scallops I sear them in the hot pan prior to starting to cook the risotto then put them aside in a bowl. Then I add them at step 3. I do this for two reasons, the first is to seal the scallops and keep them juicy on the inside. The second reason is that the juices left in the pan after searing the scallops help add to the seafood flavour of the dish.
You can also use boneless white fish fillets of any sort, cut into 2cm chunks. As always fresh is best, but frozen will work too. Add these at step two of cooking.
I just made this one again, I love it.
When I’m next having friends over I’ll splash out on a heap of fresh seafood to show you how great this meal can look