CookEat Recipe
Risotto with Small Clams
Rice cooked in filtered clam liquor with shelled clams, a vegetable soffritto and small pieces of dried mushroom.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 1.35 kg live small clams in their shells, cleaned and purged by a reputable supplier; 500 g risotto rice; About 1.75 litres water, adjusted with the clam cooking liquid; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 garlic cloves; Quarter of an onion; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 small carrot; 1 celery stalk; 5 g dried edible mushrooms; Black pepper and salt only if needed; Optional for extra seasoning: 1–2 tablespoons plain tomato passata, 15 g butter and a little grated Parmesan.
Step 2
Buy traceable, already purged live clams from a reputable retailer. Keep below 4°C in an open container under a damp cloth. Discard cracked shells and any that remain open when tapped, then scrub briefly under cold running water. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot drinking water until soft, rinse away grit and chop small.
Step 3
Put the clams in a covered pan with about 500 ml of the water. Bring to a boil, cook until they open, then continue boiling for 3–5 minutes and check that the flesh reaches 74°C. Discard unopened shells. Remove all the clam meats. Let the liquid settle briefly, then filter it through a fine lined sieve, leaving the sand behind. Add fresh water to make about 1.75 litres total cooking liquid and keep hot.
Step 4
Finely chop the garlic, onion, parsley, carrot and celery. Cook in the olive oil until well softened and beginning to colour. Add the shelled clams, softened mushrooms, pepper and a little filtered cooking liquid. Simmer a few minutes.
Step 5
Add the rice and stir to coat. Gradually add the hot clam liquid, a ladleful at a time, stirring regularly. Cook until the rice is just tender and the mushrooms fully cooked, usually 16–20 minutes depending on the rice. Keep enough liquid in the pan for even cooking, then finish fairly dry while still moist.
Step 6
Taste before adding salt. If more seasoning is wanted, add the optional passata, butter and Parmesan in modest quantities. Serve promptly. Other small food-grade clams or mussels can replace the telline, using the same safe shellfish preparation and discarding unopened shells.
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