Easy risotto: the recipes

Sea bass, clams, shrimp and fennel risotto Serves 4 as a starter Vary the fish and shellfish according to what looks most attractive. Generally fish risotto is best with butter rather than olive oil. At home I don’t bother making fish stock, since the juice that emerges when the shellfish open has so much flavour. Ingredients 1 small red onion, finely chopped 1 small bulb of fennel finely chopped (green leaves reserved) 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped 300g vialone nano rice 2 tbsp cooking olive oil ½ a bottle of dry, acidic white wine (pinot grigio works) boiling water/fish stock (about 2 pints) 100g of sea bass or red mullet chopped into 1cm slices 100g clams 100g mussels 2 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil juice of 1 lemon a few leaves of parsley and fennel In a nice, deep, heavy based saucepan fry the onion, fennel and garlic in the cooking olive oil for about 20-30 minutes until really soft and sweet. Season well with salt and pepper. Add the rice and cook for a few more minutes, stirring as you do. Pour in the wine and continue to stir until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Add a few ladles of stock and cook until getting dry, then add some more. After 15 minutes, the grains should be starting to soften; cut one in half and see how much of it remains hard and white – if it is almost soft, add the fish and shellfish. Cook for a few more minutes, check the consistency and the seasoning, then pour in the good olive oil and serve, sprinkled with lemon and the parsley and fennel leaves, roughly chopped.