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Mussel risotto

Mussel Risotto

An elegant Italian-style seafood dinner. Risotto is a hallmark of classic Italian cooking, and paired with mussels it makes a wonderful romantic dinner — seafood has long been considered an aphrodisiac.

Ropotushka

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Rice (Arborio or another risotto-friendly variety)

200

Mussels

250

Onion (medium)

Garlic

White wine (dry)

Water (hot)

650

Salt

0.5

Bay leaf

Ground black pepper

0.5

Butter

Parmesan

Fresh herbs

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 19 % 4 g

Fats 19 % 4 g

Carbohydrates 62 % 13 g

100 kcal

GI: 15 / 85 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 50 min

Step 1:

Before you start, prep everything on the ingredient list. Use a short-grain, high-starch rice to give the dish its creamy texture. If you're using frozen mussels, thaw them first. Bring the water to a boil ahead of time — it needs to go in hot so it doesn't drop the cooking temperature.
Step 2:

Peel, rinse, and cut the onion into small dice. Diced this fine, it cooks evenly and lends its flavor to the fat.
Step 3:

Peel and rinse the garlic, then halve each clove lengthwise. In a heavy-bottomed, high-sided pan, melt the butter over low heat so it doesn't scorch. Fry the garlic over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring, then lift it out and discard it — you won't need it again. You can use olive oil in place of the butter, or half of each.
Step 4:

Sauté the diced onion over medium heat until soft and light golden. Stir it now and then so it cooks evenly.
Step 5:

Add the rice to the onion and toast it, stirring, for 5 minutes. Don't rinse risotto rice — you'd wash away the starch.
Step 6:

Now pour in the wine. It opens up the grains and rounds out the flavor with a pleasant note. Stir constantly until the liquid has cooked off.
Step 7:

Add about 300 ml (1¼ cups) of the hot water along with the seasonings and salt. Don't stir the rice until the water boils, and for 2 minutes after — this draws out the starch better. Lower the heat. Add the remaining water a little at a time, now stirring constantly, and pour in each new addition only once the previous one has been absorbed.
Step 8:

Rinse the mussels well, pat them dry, and add them to the rice. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 9:

Stir in the grated Parmesan to give the risotto its creamy finish.

Serve mussel risotto hot so the rice stays loose, and finish it with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan. If you love seafood, you're sure to enjoy this classic Italian dish. Since Parmesan is salty, salt the risotto at the very end so you don't overdo it. Give it a try — it's quick and simple.