Italian Risotto is creamy with a rich broth along with the fatty taste of cheese and various vegetables and seafood. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN to find out how to make delicious and appealing seafood and mushroom Risotto in 2 different ways!
1. Seafood Risotto
-
Preparation
35 minutes
-
Cooking
40 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Seafood Risotto For 2 people
Arborio rice 150 gr Fish broth 300 ml (broth made from fish bones) Squid 50 gr Prawn 60 gr Mussels 300 gr Scallop meat 50 gr Onion 50 gr Thyme leaves 10 gr (thyme) Unsalted butter 15 gr White wine 50 ml (type of your choice) Tomato sauce 100 ml Dill 20 gr Salt 5 gr Pepper 3 gr
How to choose good ingredients for Seafood Risotto
How to choose fresh prawns
You should choose live prawns with shiny and bright shells. The head of the prawn should be firmly attached to the body, without any bruises, sliminess, or foul smell. Press on the body of the prawn; it should feel firm, not mushy.
How to choose fresh and delicious mussels
You should choose live mussels; when you lightly touch the shell, it should close. Avoid selecting mussels with tightly shut shells, as they may be dead or have cracked, broken shells. Additionally, choose mussels that are medium to large in size for more and tastier meat.
How to choose fresh and delicious squid
Depending on the type of squid, select fresh ones that are brown or milky white, but make sure they have a shiny appearance. When you press the squid body with your hand, it should feel firm and have good elasticity. The squid’s eyes should be bright and clear, with its pupil visible, and its tentacles should be firmly attached to the body, very firm.
How to choose delicious scallops
- When buying scallops that have been removed from their shells, choose those that have a fresh scent, firm texture, and are slightly translucent. Do not select those with an unpleasant odor.
- If buying scallops with shells, choose those that are still alive and have shells that are tightly closed but not completely sealed.
How to prepare seafood Risotto
-
Prepare the ingredients
For the squid, remove any remaining innards inside and rinse briefly with salt water and clean water, then let it drain. After that, use a knife to cut the squid into rings about 2cm wide.
For the tiger prawns, rinse briefly with clean water, let them drain, then remove the heads, peel the shells, and remove the prawn vein by slicing along the back to take it out.
For the mussels, scrub the outside of the shell clean, separate the shell and keep the meat on one side of the shell. Then, briefly blanch the mussels in a pot of boiling water on the stove. After that, place the mussels in a bowl of cold ice water for about 3 – 5 minutes, then take them out to drain.
For the onion, peel and dice it finely.
As for the scallop roe, thyme, and dill, rinse them briefly with clean water and let them drain.
How to quickly and properly remove the shell and extract scallop roe:
- You need to use a specialized shucking knife and a sharp knife to detach the meat from the shell.
- When you can open the shell, gently slide the knife underneath the meat to release it from the shell.
- The dark meat surrounding the white meat of the scallop should be discarded as it is the digestive gland, which includes a black mass and an intestine filled with sand. It is important to remove the cartilage of the scallop and not eat it.
- After the meat is detached from the shell, gently take it out. Keep the frill (the mantle), the white roe, and the red meat.
-
Make Italian rice
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to sear both sides of the ingredients: scallops, shrimp, squid along with thyme leaves, while also searing one side of the mussels, then remove everything to a plate.
Next, take another pan over medium heat, melt 15g of butter to sauté 50g of onion until fragrant. Then, add 150g of Italian rice (washed and drained), sauté for about 4 – 5 minutes, then add 50ml of white wine and 100ml of tomato sauce, stir well.
Sauté the mixture for about 2 minutes, then add 300ml of fish stock and cook until the rice expands and becomes soft. At this point, add the seared seafood (scallops, shrimp, and squid) and sprinkle with salt and pepper, stir for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
-
Completion
You can use a round cake mold or bowl to shape the freshly cooked Italian rice, place the rice on a plate and then arrange squid, mussels, shrimp, and scallops along with dried seaweed or any other decorative vegetables.
-
Final Product
The Seafood Risotto looks appealing with the orange color of the tomato sauce. The rice is soft and fluffy, mingled with the rich taste of butter and fish broth. Especially, the chewy sweetness of shrimp and squid along with the scallops makes the dish even more attractive to fans of European cuisine.
2. Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
-
Preparation
25 minutes
-
Cooking
45 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Shiitake Mushroom Risotto For 3 people
Italian rice 180 gr Chicken broth 1.3 liters Fresh shiitake mushrooms 400 gr Chopped onion 100 gr Chopped shallots 30 gr Sliced green onions 15 gr Minced garlic 15 gr Butter 10 gr Thyme leaves 10 gr White wine 50 ml Grated Parmesan cheese 50 gr
How to choose delicious shiitake mushrooms
For dried shiitake mushrooms
You should choose the type that is firm, not broken, bright in color, and free from white mold. You should buy them from reputable stores to ensure safety.
For fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms that are vibrant in color, have a characteristic aroma, moderate caps, are tightly cupped, and have a slightly yellow-brown color.
- Select mushrooms with firm stems, uniform color; if the mushrooms are open, the gills on the caps should form a neat, beautiful, and dry chain.
- Avoid choosing mushrooms that are bruised, have a rotten smell, or are slimy. If the mushrooms are dark brown, it is best not to buy them, as they may be toxic.
How to make Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
-
Prepare chicken broth
You can buy pre-made chicken broth or use chicken bones to simmer for broth.
Then, place a pot on the stove over medium heat to boil about 1.3 liters of chicken broth.
-
Sauté mushrooms
First, prepare the shiitake mushrooms by using a knife to remove any dirty stems (if any), soak in diluted salt water for about 2 minutes, then rinse with water and drain. Next, slice the shiitake mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
Place a pan on the stove over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to sauté 100g of chopped onion and 30g of minced shallots until fragrant. Then, add all the prepared shiitake mushrooms along with 10g of butter, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Gradually add 15g of minced garlic, 10g of thyme leaves, 5g of salt, and 5g of ground pepper, and stir well.
-
Making Italian Rice
You add 180g of Italian rice (washed and soaked in water for 30 – 60 minutes) and stir-fry it evenly with 50ml of white wine.
Then, you ladle an appropriate amount of chicken broth into the pot containing the rice, stir evenly over medium heat, and cook until the rice expands into a soft texture for about 15 – 20 minutes.
Finally, add 50g of grated Parmesan cheese into the mixture, stir well for another 2 minutes, and add 15g of sliced green onions, then turn off the heat.
Note: Only add chicken broth to the stir-fried rice pan to achieve a creamy consistency. Avoid adding too much broth at once as it will make the Italian rice too soft, resulting in a less tasty dish. -
Final Product
Shiitake mushroom Risotto has the characteristic brown color of chicken broth, the richness of broth and cheese intertwined with the sweet and chewy flavor of shiitake mushrooms. The rice grains are soft to a moderate degree, suitable for anyone enjoying this dish, including both adults and children.
What is Risotto?
Risotto is a type of rice dish popular in Italy, cooked with broth (from meat, fish, or vegetable stock) and contains many creams like butter, Parmesan cheese,…. Risotto can be served as an appetizer or a main course.
See more
Thus, TasteVN has guided you on how to make 2 ways to make delicious seafood and shiitake mushroom Risotto attractively! Let’s get cooking right away. Wish you success!
*Compiled and referenced information from various sources such as Asia-Europe Career Guidance and Tasty