Squink Risotto Food

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

SQUID INK RISOTTO

Steps:

• Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook, letting the rice slightly stick to the bottom of the pan and scraping it off, until it sounds crackly, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the wine to the pan until it covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the wine has absorbed into the rice. Add the chicken stock to the pan until it covers the rice, about 4 minutes. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, until the stock has absorbed into the rice, about 6 minutes.
• Repeat this process two more times with the hot chicken stock. When the third addition of the stock has absorbed and the rice is very creamy, bite a couple grains of rice to test how it is cooked. Add the squid ink and mix to incorporate. If the rice is still a little crunchy, add a little more stock and cook the rice for another couple of minutes. Add the calamari and allow to cook until tender and the rice is creamy but still flows and holds its own shape, 5 to 7 minutes. When the rice is cooked perfectly, remove it from the heat.
• Toss in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano and fold to combine. Garnish with chives or micro bull's blood if using, and a big glug of good extra-virgin olive oil.

SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place mussels in a saucepan with 1/2 cup chardonnay. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Reserve 4 mussels in shells, shuck remainder, and strain and reserve broth.
• Heat oil in a heavy shallow saucepan. Add shallots and ginger, and sauté over low heat until soft. Stir in rice and cook briefly. Add remaining wine. When wine has been absorbed by rice, add mussel liquid. Cook over medium-low heat until it is absorbed, then gradually add fish stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until rice is nearly al dente but still moist and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in scallops and shrimp, and cook about 5 minutes, until seafood is cooked. Stir in shucked mussels, butter and chives. Divide among 4 shallow soup plates, garnish each portion with a mussel in the shell, and serve.

RISOTTO NERO WITH SQUID

Steps:

• Put olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and barely colored, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper, then add garlic, saffron and red pepper and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add squid bodies and tentacles, stir well to coat and season with salt. Add tomato, bay leaf and 1/4 cup white wine. Add 1 cup water and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, then stir in squid ink. Simmer for 10 minutes more, until squid is tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining onion, season with salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice, stir to coat, and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Keeping heat brisk, add remaining 1/4 cup wine and 2 cups of the broth and simmer, stirring, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add another cup broth and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the last cup of broth and all of the squid mixture. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes more, until rice is just done. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Add a little more broth, as necessary, to keep rice moist and loose, but not too soupy. Stir in lemon zest and parsley, then spoon into warm shallow soup bowls. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately.