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Risotto with Mint, Peas, and Calamari

17/11/2023

Risotto with mint, peas, and calamari is a fresh, summery dish where the aroma of mint and the sweetness of the peas perfectly complement the sea flavor of the calamari. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 320 g of risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
  • 400 g of cleaned calamari
  • 150 g of fresh or frozen peas
  • 1 small onion
  • A bunch of fresh mint
  • 1 liter of vegetable or fish stock
  • 1 glass of dry white wine
  • Extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by cleaning the calamari if you haven’t already bought them cleaned. Cut them into rings or pieces.
  2. Blanch the peas in salted water if fresh; if you’re using frozen peas, you can simply drain them after letting them thaw.
  3. Prepare a light sofrito: finely chop the onion and let it sweat in a saucepan with extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
  4. Add the rice to the saucepan and toast it for about a minute, stirring. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
  5. Add the calamari to the rice and start adding the stock one ladle at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more, stirring occasionally.
  6. Halfway through the rice cooking, add the peas to cook them together and finish cooking the rice.
  7. While the risotto is cooking, chop the fresh mint.
  8. When the risotto is almost done, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
  9. Off the heat, add the chopped fresh mint and, if desired, some grated Parmesan cheese. Stir to cream the risotto.
  10. Let it rest a couple of minutes before serving.

The risotto should have a “wave-like” consistency, meaning it should slightly slide in the dish while still maintaining a certain creaminess.

Curiosity

In Italy, risotto is served as a first course. The key element for a good risotto is the creaming process, which is done off the heat by adding cold butter in pieces or grated cheese, in our case Parmesan, and stirring vigorously. Mint adds a touch of freshness which is unusual but pleasant, especially in summer.