Risotto alla pescatora with a hint of tomato is a classic Italian seafood dish, perfect for any season, but especially a fine dish ideal for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.
It’s a dish rich in shellfish and more, but my basic recipe version includes mussels, clams, and shrimp with a hint of tomato. Some may add small squid, cuttlefish, and much more, depending on taste and ingredient availability, but I prefer it this way as it is already quite rich.
For this recipe, you can use either fresh or mixed frozen seafood. Of course, with fresh seafood, the sea flavor is much more intense, with a tastier result.
The choice of rice also plays a crucial role in the success of the dish. You should use the right variety. I preferred Carnaroli because I already had a pack available; large and tapered grains with excellent cooking. Vialone Nano, ideal for sturdier risottos, would also be preferable.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Risotto alla pescatora with a hint of tomato
- 1.5 cups Carnaroli rice
- 2.2 lbs Mixed seafood
- 4 Cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsps Tomato sauce
- 1 Onion
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 glass White wine
- to taste Parsley
- to taste Olive oil
- to taste Salt
Tools
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Stove
Preparation for Risotto alla pescatora with a hint of tomato
If you prefer fresh seafood, ask the fishmonger for this mix: 1.1 lbs of mussels, 1.1 lbs of clams – 7 oz of shrimp.
Otherwise, use the frozen mix.
If using fresh clams and mussels, consider that they need at least a couple of hours to be ready to cook in the pan: this time is necessary for them to expel the sand that is normally inside the shells.
Rinse the clams well under fresh running water, then place them in a bowl covered with water and let them rest for 2 hours.
Clean the mussels by pulling upwards to remove the beard that comes out of the mollusk, then scrub off any impurities with a steel wool pad.
Remove encrustations with the back of a knife, rinse thoroughly and let them rest in water.
Also, clean the shrimp well, remove the head, peel them, then make an incision along the back and remove the intestine with a toothpick.
Boil the shrimp scraps in a pot with water to use as broth for cooking the rice.In a pan, pour 1 tablespoon of oil, add 1 clove of garlic cut in half, and heat. Add the well-drained mussels and clams and 1/2 glass of white wine, add 4 cherry tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, cover with a lid, and let cook for about 5 minutes until they open. At the end, add the peeled shrimp, mix everything well and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
In a separate pot, sauté the chopped onion with some oil, add the rice, and stir well to toast for a few minutes, pour in 1/2 glass of wine and let it evaporate, continue cooking by adding the fish broth, filtered from the shrimp heads, adjust with salt, and cook for 5 minutes.
Midway through cooking, add the cooked seafood sauce: mussels, clams, and shrimp, remove some shells, leaving some whole for final decoration, mix well, taste to adjust with salt, and continue cooking by adding the broth, until the rice is cooked al dente.
Remove from heat, stir well with a drizzle of oil or butter, season with freshly chopped parsley, plate and serve, garnishing with the shellfish.
For other fish-based dishes click here
FAQ
Can I use frozen seafood?
Yes, of course, you can use the ready mix or buy the fish varieties individually.
