Seafood risotto with little tomato is a classic Italian first course based on fish, perfect for any season but especially a good refined dish ideal for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.
It is a dish rich with shellfish and more, but my version as a base recipe includes: mussels, clams, and shrimp with little tomato, some add baby squid, cuttlefish, and much more, depending on tastes and ingredient availability. I prefer it this way as it’s already quite rich.
For this recipe, you can use both fresh and mixed frozen fish. Of course, with fresh fish, the sea flavor is much more intense with a tastier result.
Even the rice plays a key role in the success of the dish; you must use the right variety. I preferred Carnaroli because I already had a package available, with large and tapered grains that cook excellently. It’s also preferable to use Vialone Nano, ideal for more robust risottos.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for Seafood Risotto with Little Tomato
- 2/3 cup Carnaroli Rice
- 2.2 lbs Seafood Mix
- 4 Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Sauce
- 1 Onion
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 glass White Wine
- to taste Parsley
- to taste Olive Oil
- to taste Salt
Preparation for Seafood Risotto with Little Tomato
If you prefer fresh fish, ask at the fish market for this mix: 1.1 lbs mussels, 1.1 lbs clams – 7 oz shrimp.
Otherwise use the frozen mix.
If you use fresh clams and mussels, consider that they need at least a couple of hours to be ready for cooking in the pan: this time is necessary because it allows them to release the sand normally contained inside their shells.
Take the clams and wash them well under fresh running water, then put them in a bowl covered with water and let them rest for 2 hours.
Clean the mussels by pulling the beard out with a firm upward motion, then with a steel wool pad remove any impurities.
Remove any encrustations with the back of a knife, wash thoroughly, and let them rest in water.
Also clean the shrimp well, remove the head, peel them then make an incision on the back and remove the intestine with a toothpick.
Put the shrimp scraps to boil in a pot with water for use as broth for cooking the rice.In a pan, pour 1 tablespoon of oil, add 1 garlic clove cut in half and heat. Add well-drained mussels and clams and 1/4 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, then 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, toasting well for a few minutes, pour 1/4 glass of wine and let it evaporate, continue cooking by adding the fish stock, strained from the shrimp shells, season with salt, and cook for 5 minutes.
Halfway through cooking, add the cooked fish sauce: mussels, clams, and shrimp, remove some shells, leaving some whole for final decoration, stir well, taste to adjust salt, and continue cooking adding more broth, until the rice is al dente.
Remove from heat, stir in a drizzle of oil or butter, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, plate, and serve decorating with the shellfish.
For other fish-based dishes click here
Notes
Notes
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use frozen fish?
Yes, of course, you can use the ready mix or buy the fish varieties individually.
