Seafood risotto

Preparation method

1. Cut the sea bass fillets into 3cm/1¼in lengths and set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Peel the langoustines, reserving the heads, legs and shells. Remove the black vein and set the meat aside.

3. To make the stock, place the langoustine shells, carrots and celery into a deep baking tray. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the shells have coloured and vegetables are beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a saucepan along with the fish bones, 200ml/7fl oz of the white wine and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, simmer for five minutes, then skim and continue to simmer uncovered for a further 30 minutes. Pass the stock through a sieve lined with muslin cloth into a clean saucepan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside in a warm place.

4. Heat three tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan and gently cook half of the chopped garlic for 30 seconds. Tap the mussels against a hard surface and discard any that do not close. Add the mussels to the pan, cover with a tight-fitting lid, turn up the heat and cook until the shells have opened. Remove the meat from the opened shells and set aside, discarding any unopened shells. Strain the liquid into the stock ,then repeat this step with the remaining garlic and the clams.

5. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Quickly fry the squid rings for about 40 seconds, or until they are just cooked through, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.

6. In the same pan, heat the remaining oil and cook the shallots for 2-3 minutes, or until soft but not brown. Add the rice and stir well for 2-3 minutes, or until the grains turn translucent on the edge. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for one minute. Pour in the remaining wine and cook until the wine has evaporated.

7. Add a ladle of the hot stock to the pan and stir continuously until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat until the rice is almost cooked through, then stir in the langoustines and sea bass with the final two ladles of stock.

8. Meanwhile, heat enough olive oil a small saucepan to deep-fry. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Never leave the pan unattended.) Season the flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper, dust the squid tentacles and deep-fry for about one minute or until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

9. Add the mussels, clams and squid rings to the risotto along with the diced butter. Gentle stir and cook for a further two minutes until warmed through. The risotto should be served all’onda (slightly runny). Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve garnished with chopped chives and the fried squid tentacles.

30 mins to 1 hour preparation time

1 to 2 hours cooking time

Serves 4