Seafood risotto proves to be a versatile dish
clams, cockles, mussels, and some nice smoked haddock for flavour. If it was being served in the restaurant, I might top it with a nice king scallop.
Ingredients ( for a dish to serve four people) are 400g of risotto rice, one litre of fish stock, 10mls of olive oil, 200mls of white wine, two garlic cloves ( peeled and minced), one white onion ( finely chopped), two tbsps of saffroninfused water, 100g of unsalted butter ( diced), 100g parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, and three sprigs of dill, chervil, and parsley.
Seafood can include 100g of cooked clams ( shelled), 100g of mussels, eight razor clams ( cooked, shelled, and sliced), and two fillets of naturally smoked haddock ( poached and flaked).
In a suitable- sized pan, gently heat the olive oil and 25g of butter.
Then, add the onions and garlic until they are translucent.
Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated, then mix in the white wine and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
After that, add the saffroninfused water and introduce the hot stock one ladle at a time.
Stir the mixture continuously until the rice is al dente, which will take around 25- 30 minutes.
Next, you can add your cooked shellfish and flaked haddock and heat for a further two or three minutes.
Lastly, you can finish the dish with the remaining butter as well as the parmesan and herbs.
Add salt and pepper as you see fit, then serve in a bowl.
The beauty of this dish is that it works well as a starter or a main course, with 40g or 100g of rice about right for each.
This dish would be perfectly complemented by the poached duck breast from our menu at Woodlands, and our palate- cleansing lemon parfait with pistachio, crushed meringue and raspberry gel would finish off your dining experience nicely.
Woodlands is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6- 9pm and on Sundays from 12- 3pm. To make a reservation, call 01290 425959.