The Perfect Seafood Risotto!

Calling all seafood lovers! Chef Mark McEwan brings together the best flavours of the sea in one simple risotto. Enjoy this classic Italian dish with Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc for the ultimate pairing.

Seafood Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 batch basic risotto made with fish or vegetable stock
• 1 tbs (15 mL) olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 2 sprigs thyme
• ½ lb squid, cleaned and cut into quarter inch rings
• 24 Green lipped mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• ½ cup (125 mL) white wine
• 8 medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and split lengthwise
• 4 large scallops, halved crosswise, then quartered (8 pieces each)
• ½ cup (75 mL) basic tomato sauce
• 12 basil leaves
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
• Ground white pepper
• Squeeze of lemon juice
   

Preparation:

Begin cooking the basic risotto with fish or vegetable stock.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic in the olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the thyme and cook a minute longer. Raise the heat and add the mussels and white wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover the pan. After about 2 minutes, begin removing the mussels as they pop open. Cover again. Strain the cooking liquid and add it to the simmering fish stock you are using to cook the risotto.

When the risotto is a few minutes away from being cooked, add a double ladle of fish stock to the pot and when it begins to bubble, stir in the shrimp. One minute later, stir in the squid, and one minute later follow with the scallops. Remove about 16 of the mussels from their shells and discard the empty shells. Add the shelled mussels to the risotto, and then stir in the tomato sauce, basil and parsley. Add the cheese and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Taste, and correct seasonings with salt and white pepper. Stir in a little lemon juice to finish. Serve on a platter – or divide among 4 warm shallow bowls, with one pair of unshelled mussels in each portion.

Serves 4.