Saffron Seafood Risotto Recipes

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SHRIMP AND PEAS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine broth, 2 cups water, lemon zest, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent and grains begin to make a popping sound, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in wine and saffron; cook until wine is mostly evaporated, about 30 seconds.
• Ladle 1 cup broth mixture into skillet. Stir with a wooden spoon at a moderate speed until most of broth is absorbed and bottom of skillet stays visible for a second or two as you mix, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue ladling broth into skillet, about 1/2 cup at a time (or enough to just cover rice). Stir slowly but constantly, allowing rice to absorb most of broth before adding more. Risotto is ready when rice is al dente and broth has thickened to a rich sauce, 20 to 25 minutes. (You may not need to use all of broth.) Add shrimp and peas to skillet with last addition of broth; cook until shrimp are opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, and cheese; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with more cheese and pepper to serve. If the risotto becomes stiff before serving, stir in more hot broth, a little at a time, until it's loose and creamy.

SAFFRON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
• Ladle a little stock into a small bowl.
• Add the saffron threads or powder and leave to infuse.
• Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a large saucepan until foaming.
• Add the onion and cook gently for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
• Add the rice.
• Stir until grains start to swell and burst, then add a few ladlefuls of the stock, with the saffron liquid, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir over low heat until the stock is absorbed.
• Add the remaining stock, a few ladlefuls at a time, allowing the rice to absorb all of the liquid before adding more, and stirring constantly.
• After 20-25 minutes, the rice should be al dente and the risotto golden yellow, moist and creamy.
• Gently stir in about two-thirds of the parmesan and the rest of the butter.
• Heat through until the butter has melted, then taste for seasoning.
• Transfer the risotto to a warmed serving bowl or platter and serve immediately, with the remaining parmesan sprinkled on top.
• Enjoy!

SAFFRON SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large skillet, add water and littleneck clams. Steam, covered, on high until first clam opens, about 5 minutes. Add mussels. Continue to steam until all clams and mussels open, another 3 minutes, swirling pan occassionally to keep juices from overflowing edges of pan. Drain clam and mussel juice into a 3 quart saucepan. There should be about 2 cups of liquid. Set clams and mussels aside, covered in skillet, to keep warm. Add chicken broth to clam juice to saucepan. Add saffron. Bring to boil. Add shrimp. Return to boil and cook until shrimp are opaque, about two minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove shrimp to bowl and cover to keep warm. Heat another large skillet over medium/med high heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add onions and cook until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add rice and garlic stirring until rice starts to become translucent. Add wine and cook over med heat until absorbed. Add clam/chicken broth mix 1/2 cup at a time until liquid absorbed, stirring constantly. When adding last of broth, add squid, tomatoes and parmesan cheese. Cook until liquid is absorbed and squid is cooked, about 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp and basil. Stir until well mixed. Meanwhile, in small skillet, sear scallops in butter over med/high heat, about 2 minutes per side until slightly carmelized. Spoon risotto onto plates. Divide scallops, clams and mussels among plates. Serve with wilted baby spinach on side.

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat butter in heavy three-quart saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent but not brown. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until grains turn white. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, for five minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small dish and pour a cup of the hot stock over it.
• When most of the wine has evaporated, stir in a half cup of the stock and adjust the heat so the mixture cooks at a steady simmer. When most of that stock has evaporated, stir in the stock with the saffron and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue adding stock, about a half cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is just barely tender, about 15 minutes longer. You may not need to add all the remaining stock.
• Stir in scallops. Continue cooking, stirring gently, another three to five minutes, until rice is al dente and scallops are cooked. Add a little stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes; serve at once.

SAFFRON AND SHELLFISH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat stock in pan over high heat. Add clams; cover. Cook until opened, 5 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer clams to a bowl. Discard unopened clams. Remove clams from shells, and chop clam meat. Add shrimp shells to stock. Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Pour stock through fine sieve, discarding solids and sand left in pan. Return stock to stove; keep at simmer over medium heat.
• Heat oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and saffron; cook, stirring, until translucent. Add rice; cook, stirring, until rice begins to sound like glass beads, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add wine to rice. Cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Using a ladle, add 3/4 cup of hot stock to rice. Using a wooden spoon, stir rice constantly, at medium speed. When rice has absorbed most but not all of the liquid and mixture is just thick enough to leave a clear wake behind the spoon when stirring, add another 3/4 cup stock.
• Continue adding stock in this manner, stirring constantly, until rice is mostly translucent but still opaque and slightly crunchy in center. Add shrimp; continue stirring and adding stock until rice is still al dente but not crunchy and shrimp is cooked through, about 3 minutes. As rice nears doneness, watch carefully, and add smaller amounts of liquid. The mixture should be thick enough that grains of rice are suspended in liquid about the consistency of heavy cream. It will thicken slightly when removed from heat.
• Remove from heat. Stir in clams, butter, Parmesan cheese, if using, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Divide among four bowls, and grate or shave Parmesan over risotto, if desired. Serve immediately.