Seafood Risotto
Seafood Risotto – This easy seafood risotto recipe is for risotto purists and topped with mixed seafood, including shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, or scallops — use whatever is locally available and in season! From the cookbook, For the Love of Seafood by Karista Bennett, this recipe is perfect for a special occasion but simple enough for a weeknight meal.
Seafood Risotto – This easy seafood risotto recipe is made for risotto purists and topped with various mixed seafood, including shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, or scallops. Use whatever is locally available and in season! Perfect for a special occasion but simple enough for a weeknight meal, this recipe from For the Love of Seafood by Karista Bennett.
Every spring, especially in the weeks leading up to the Easter holidays, I find myself cooking more seafood. Plus, with a pescetarian daughter, I am always eager for inspiration and new seafood recipes.
Inspiration may come from a chat with my local fishmonger, plentiful and in-season seafood, or even from my very own podcast!
I was happy to welcome Karistsa Bennett to the podcast to discuss her newly released cookbook. For the Love of Seafood: 100 Flawless, Flavorful Recipes That Anyone Can Cook (affiliate link) offers not only incredible recipes with flavors inspired by the coastal cities she has called home and her travels, but also includes an informative Seafood 101 primer.
Even though I feel like I have a solid handle on seafood, I still found myself poring through her Seafood 101 chapter – what an excellent resource for cooks of all abilities! And I also bookmarked so many recipes after our interview, including this seafood risotto recipe.
I love how Karista’s version celebrates the beauty of risotto and the fruits of the sea, allowing each component to shine so that it can be celebrated with each bite. And while it may feel like a fancy, indulgent meal, it is simple enough to make for a weeknight meal.
Seafood Risotto Recipe
Seafood risotto is such a delicious, luxurious, and satisfying meal. The methods may vary, but Karista’s recipe shows she’s a risotto purist! Instead of cooking everything all together in one pot, the seafood and risotto are prepared separately and then plated together in the final step. This method keeps the risotto traditional and prevents any risk of overcooking the seafood.
The stock is vital to a good risotto. You can make seafood stock or use good quality store-bought seafood or fish stock. I personally love a combination of seafood stock and lobster stock!
Make this recipe for seafood risotto with various seafood, including shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, or scallops — whatever is locally available and in season.
How to Make Mixed Seafood Risotto
How to Make Seafood Risotto
- Prepare the rice
You’ll want to prepare the risotto in a large pot or Dutch oven. Start by heating the pot with olive oil over medium heat and cook finely chopped shallots until soft. Then, add the Arborio rice and cook for a few more minutes.
Next, add your preferred dry white wine and stir with a wooden spoon until most of the wine is absorbed into the rice grains. Then gradually add seafood stock, about ½ cup to 1 cup. Stir often and continue adding stock; allow each addition of stock to absorb fully before adding more stock. Continue until all the stock is used and the rice is almost tender (al dente). The total cooking time should be about 25 minutes.
- Season the risotto
When the rice is cooked, immediately remove it from the heat and stir in parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and heavy cream (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. For an extra creamy risotto, Karista adds heavy cream, but this is optional.
- Prepare the seafood
While the risotto is cooking, you can also prepare the seafood of your choice. Aim for about 1 pound of seafood in total. Karista includes some great seafood recipes that pair well with this risotto in her book, including Pan-Cooked Shrimp (page 122), Basic Pan-Cooked Sea Scallops (page 117), and Classic White Wine-Steamed Clams with Garlic and Herbs (page 124).
- Plate and serve
Pour the risotto into a large serving bowl or individual bowls to serve. Top the bowl(s) with your cooked seafood of choice. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges, and enjoy!
TIP: Karista recommends serving this seafood risotto with side dishes such as roasted asparagus, broccolini, or braised greens and a crisp green salad to take it to the next level.
Listen to the Podcast with Karista Bennett
For more seafood recipes, check out my interview with Karista Bennett in Episode 64 of the Kitchen Confidante Podcast!
More Risotto Recipes
Broccoli Risotto
Bok Choy Risotto with Coconut Milk and Pan Seared Shrimp
Champagne & Mushroom Risotto
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of For the Love of Seafood to review for the Kitchen Confidante Podcast Episode 64 with Karista Bennett. All opinions are, of course, my own. The post may have affiliate links; see my Disclosure page to learn more.
Seafood Risotto
Ingredients
RISOTTO
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 4 to 5 cups warm seafood stock
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup heavy cream optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
SEAFOOD (about 1 pound total, cooked)
- 8 ounces pan-cooked shrimp
- 8 ounces seared sea scallops
- 8 ounces steamed clams
- 6 to 8 ounces cooked lump crabmeat or crab claws
- 8 ounces cooked lobster tail or cooked claws
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the risotto: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Stir in the shallot and cook until soft. Add the Arborio rice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir until most of the wine has been absorbed, then ladle in 1 cup of seafood stock and continue to stir until most of the stock has been absorbed.
- Continue adding more stock ½ to 1 cup at a time, stirring often and allowing each addition of stock to be absorbed before adding the next. This usually takes about 25 minutes. Cook until the rice is almost tender (al dente).
- When the risotto is done, remove it from the heat and stir in the cheese, lemon zest, and heavy cream (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To serve, pour the risotto in a serving bowl or individual bowls and top with assorted cooked seafood. Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Side Dish Suggestions: roasted asparagus, broccolini, or braised greens + a crisp green salad
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
Can I replace wine with chicken stock? Or more fish stock?
love this dish, always have, and this inspires me to make it! thank you for sharing this recipe, have never made this before,
I hope you get a chance to try it, Sabrina!