Belle Isle School of Cookery
Lisbellaw
Enniskillen
County Fermanagh
Northern Ireland
BT94 5HG

Tel: +44 (0)28 6638 7231
Fax: +44 (0)28 6638 7261

info@irish-cookery-school.com

www.irishcookeryschool.com

Michel Roux’s seafood Risotto with crustacean essence

Serves 6

Ingredients

850ml/1½ pt fish stock
100g/4 oz butter
60g/2 ¼ oz onion, peeled and finely chopped
200g/7oz risotto rice, preferably carnaroli
100ml/3 ½ floz dry white wine
2 edible marigolds (optional)
40g/1½ oz parmesan, freshly grated
Salt & pepper
Seafood & crustacean essence:
18 large raw prawns in shell, cleaned
200ml/7 floz cold fish stock
24 cuttlefish or baby squid, preferably fresh, cleaned
2 tblsp olive oil
10g/ ½ oz butter

Method

• First make the risotto. Bring the fish stock to the boil in a saucepan and keep it at a simmer. Melt half of the butter in a small saucepan, add the onions and sweat gently for 2 minutes, then add the rice and stir with a spoon. Increase the heat slightly and continue stirring until the rice turns opaque and begins to “sing”.
• Pour in the wine, stir once only, and then leave to cook until two-thirds of the liquid has evaporated. Add two thirds of the hot fish stock and a little salt. Stir once only and leave to cook gently for about 12 minutes, adding a little more hot stock if necessary. Check the texture of the rice; it should be very firm, almost crunchy. Add the rest of the stock and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat, add the marigold petals if using, sprinkle in the parmesan and stir in the remaining butter. Cover the pan with a lid and leave to stand off the heat for 6-8 minutes.
• Put the prawns in a saucepan, cover with the cold fish stock and bring to the boil. Immediately take the pan off the heat and add the cuttlefish. Cover the pan and leave to stand for 3 minutes. Drain the seafood, reserving the stock; keep the cuttlefish warm. Shell the prawns reserving their heads and add to the cuttlefish.
• To prepare the crustacean essence, crush the prawn heads with the flat of a large knife. Place them in a small saucepan with the olive oil and colour over a high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the reserved fish stock and whiz in a food processor for 3 minutes. Strain through a fine chinois or muslin-lined sieve set over a small saucepan. Reduce the resulting liquid to a slightly syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
• Mix two-thirds of the prawns and cuttlefish into the rice. Divide between deep serving plates and arrange the rest of the seafood on top. Drizzle with a few drops of the reduction to serve.