Paella Risotto

By Nancy Caivano

Paella Risotto

Serves 6

Ingredients:

For chicken:
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
All purpose flour

For shellfish:
1/2 cup white wine
Small bunch of parsley, very coarsely chopped
1 lb clams, scrubbed well
1 lb mussels, scrubbed well, debearded

For risotto:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped,
   (or 1 tbsp jar chopped garlic)
1 lb Italian sausage (hot or sweet,
   your preference) casing removed
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
   plus 2 cups clam juice
   plus 1 tsp saffron, simmering
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 10-oz pkg. frozen peas, thawed and drained
1 cup plum tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or parmesan)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Method:

To make chicken:
Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. sauté chicken until well browned on both sides. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, cut into cubes.

To prepare shellfish:
In a sauté pan, heat white wine and parsley over medium-high heat until wine begins to simmer. Add clams and mussels. Raise heat a bit, cover and cook until shells open, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer clams and mussels to a bowl, discarding any that do not open. Remove meat from shells, cover and keep warm.

To make risotto:
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion begins to turn golden brown. Add sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking up large pieces.

Add rice to pan with sausage, stirring constantly, and cook 5 minutes more, making sure rice does not brown. Add wine, stirring constantly, and let totally evaporate. When wine is evaporated, begin adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition evaporate before adding the next addition.

After fourth addition of stock is added, begin tasting rice. Rice should be al dente when done. You need to keep tasting rice, because, depending on rice, you may or may not have to use all of the stock. When fourth addition of stock is absorbed, add chicken, shrimp, peas and tomatoes.

After last addition of stock is added, add mussels and clams to the risotto. When last addition of stock is absorbed, remove from heat, and stir in butter, romano, parsley, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.