Risotto with Clams

Risotto with clams is a refined and tasty dish, perfect for seafood lovers. Here’s how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 320 g of risotto rice (such as Arborio or Carnaroli)
• 500 g of fresh clams
• 1 liter of fish stock (preferably homemade or alternatively, hot water)
• 1 glass of dry white wine
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Chopped fresh parsley, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• White pepper (optional)
• Butter, about 30 g
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, to taste (optional)

Preparation

1. Start with cleaning the clams: keep them in cold salted water for about an hour so that they release any sand. Rinse them under running water and remove any impurities from the shells.
2. In a pot, put the clams with a bit of water and cover with a lid, letting them open over high heat. Once opened, shell them, keeping aside their filtered cooking water through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove any residual sand.
3. Prepare the fish stock and keep it warm on another burner.
4. In a large pan, fry the chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
5. Add the rice and let it toast over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring. Then, deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
6. Add a ladle of hot broth to the rice, and continue to add more as the rice absorbs the liquid, stirring occasionally.
7. Halfway through the rice cooking, add the filtered clam cooking water to intensify the flavor.
8. When the rice is almost done (keeping it al dente), add the shelled clams.
9. Season with salt and pepper, and cream with butter and, if desired, with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
10. Let the risotto rest for a minute, then garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Curiosity

Risotto with clams is a dish that celebrates the flavor of the sea. If you want to make it even more Italian, you can replace the dry white wine with a good Vermentino or another white wine from Liguria or Veneto, which will add unique aromatic notes to the dish. Always remember to serve the risotto all’onda, which means with a consistency that is neither too dry nor too liquid, but creamy.