She Strengthens

Seafood Risotto: A Flavorful Fusion

The Perfect Blend of Flavors

This easy-to-make risotto brings together the freshness of the sea with the sweetness of peas, creating a dish that’s both flavorful and refreshing. With shrimp, scallops, and calamari as the stars of the show, this recipe is sure to impress.

Understanding Your Ingredients

When purchasing whole, uncleaned calamari, keep in mind that 1 pound yields about 1/2 pound of cleaned squid. This is essential to ensure you have the right amount of ingredients for your dish.

Preparation Time

Yield: 6 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Gather Your Ingredients

• 2 quarts (8 cups) fish stock, low-sodium fish broth, or clam juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound scallops
• 1/2 pound small shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined, shells reserved
• 1/2 pound cleaned calamari, cut into 1/2-inch rings but tentacles left whole
• Vegetable oil
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
• Juice of 1/2 medium lemon, plus more as needed

Let’s Get Started!

Step 1: Prepare the Broth

Combine the stock, broth, or clam juice and the reserved shrimp shells in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over another medium saucepan, discarding the shrimp shells, and keep the broth at a bare simmer over low heat.

Step 2: Cook the Rice

In a large wide pot or Dutch oven, heat the measured oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the anchovies and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the kernels start to crackle, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and let simmer, stirring often, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Step 3: Add the Seafood

Meanwhile, pat the scallops, shrimp, and calamari dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper, keeping the types of seafood separate. Add enough vegetable oil to a large frying pan to just coat it and set it over medium-high heat until very hot and shimmering. Cook the seafood in batches, starting with the scallops, then the shrimp, and finally the calamari, until they’re cooked through. Transfer each batch to a large plate or baking sheet and spread into a single layer.

Step 4: Combine the Risotto and Seafood

When the rice is done, remove it from the heat and stir in the seafood mixture (along with any accumulated juices), peas, parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed. Just before serving, loosen the risotto to the desired consistency with a little more broth or hot water and serve immediately. Drizzle each serving with olive oil.