Mussels and Parmigiano Reggiano form the base of a velvety risotto that combines the umami of the cheese with the natural savory flavor of the seafood. The recipe is by Peppe Guida, one of the leading exponents of Italian seafood cuisine.
Recipe taken from the book “Questa Terra è la mia Terra,” published by Gambero Rosso
Photographs of the dish by Lido Vannucchi
Ingredients
For the risotto
- 320 g Carnaroli rice
- 1 kg spring onions
- 800 g mussels
- 50 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt, pepper
For the bitter orange sauce
- 4 oranges
- 100 g sugar
- 100 g water
Peel the oranges, removing the white pith and seeds. Blend the pulp and zest until smooth, strain the resulting liquid, and pour it into a saucepan. Add the sugar and water and reduce over low heat until the desired consistency is reached.
Instructions
Trim the spring onions and slice them thinly. Sauté them in a pan with a drizzle of oil and a ladleful of water, covering with a lid. Once cooked, season with salt and purée them, then set aside.
Remove the seeds from the oranges and puree them finely; pour the resulting liquid into a small saucepan and reduce it over low heat.
Cook the washed mussels in a skillet over medium heat with a ladleful of water and a sprinkle of pepper, covering with a lid. As soon as the shells begin to open, remove the mussels from their shells and strain the cooking liquid.
Toast the Carnaroli rice in a pot with a drizzle of oil, then begin cooking the risotto, gradually adding hot salted water as the rice absorbs it. When there are 10 minutes left, add the spring onion purée, then finish cooking with the mussel liquid.
Remove from the heat and stir in oil and Parmesan cheese.
To finish
- Greek basil
- bitter orange sauce
Spread a thin layer of bitter orange sauce on the bottom of the plate and spoon the risotto over it, covering all the sauce underneath. Top with the shelled mussels, arranged in a radial pattern, a few splashes of orange sauce, and Greek basil leaves.
