Mussel Risotto with Parsley Puree

By Gibby

Cook the risotto all'onda, which loosely translates to "wavy." So when you tap the rim of the dish, the creamy rice slightly undulates like ocean waves, with the chunks of seafood looking like little bouncing buoys.

This is absolutely luscious with each perfectly cooked kernel of rice exploding with briny crustacean goodness.

I suggest using short-grain carnaroli or nano vialone rice or the easier to procure arborio for this dish. Be sure to keep it fluid (but not watery), and please don't overcook the rice.

Ingredients

• 24 cleaned mussels
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup packed (about 1/2 ounce) cleaned fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 to 2 1/4 cups no-salt vegetable stock (divided)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced fine (you will need 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup carnaroli rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup dry sherry, heated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus salt to taste (divided)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus pepper to taste (divided)
• Fresh Italian parsley sprigs for garnish

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from sanfordrestaurant.com.

Preparation

Step 1

Place mussels in a large pot and add wine. Cover. Set aside.

Puree parsley with ½ cup of the vegetable stock. Set aside.

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oil, then add onion and cook about 1 minute. Add rice and, with a wooden spoon, stir to lightly toast, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, pepper flakes, bay leaves and thyme and stir for 30 seconds. Add hot sherry, continue stirring. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook until rice starts to absorb sherry. Start adding the stock by small ladles, just enough to keep rice liquid and continually absorbing - keep stirring so rice does not stick.

While rice is cooking, place pot of mussels over medium heat to steam open. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat as soon as they open and keep covered. (Discard any mussels that do not open.)

After adding about 1 cup of the stock to the rice, add all liquid from the mussels as the next addition. Taste rice and continue adding stock until rice is just cooked but still al dente. At this point, rice should be creamy and fluid but not watery.

Finish rice by stirring in reserved parsley puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately in four hot bowls. Remove bay leaves. Garnish with warm mussels and parsley sprigs on top.