We are still seeing a lot of mushrooms in the markets these days, it hasn’t rained much this past week, but we are coming out of a pretty wet, cold and nasty winter over here. Since spring is in full bloom, the thought of a heavy mushroom dish doesn’t excite, but mushrooms are always delicious, so I looked to do something a bit lighter.

The thought of pairing mushrooms and fish has always left me a little perplexed, until recently when I have had the two together in restaurants and been pleasantly surprised by the results. I decided to give it a go in my own kitchen with clams and cardoncelli mushrooms in a risotto. The two were nice together, but both needed a little flavor boost. I used fish broth and added a little fish that was leftover from my daughter’s dinner, but it was still lacking. An anchovy melted into the butter may have done the trick.

Risotto ai Cardoncelli e le Vongole

• 1 cup of carnaroli or Arborio rice (Italians measure rice by demitasse cups, 1 cup for each person and one for the pot)
• ½ an onion, chopped finely
• 1 lb cardoncelli mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 5 cups fish broth
• 200 grams clams in shells
• leftover cooked fish (optional)
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 2 tbsp butter
• a few sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
• salt to taste

Heat a wide saucepan over medium-high heat and add the clams, close tightly with the lid of the pan. Toss them for a few minutes until they have all opened. Once they have opened, turn off the heat and remove the clams from their shells into a separate bowl, being careful not to burn your little fingers. Filter the broth that the clams created into a separate bowl.

Chop the onion into fine pieces and bring the broth to a simmer. Heat a large stovetop casserole pan over medium-high heat and melt 1 tbsp of the butter at the bottom of the pan. When the butter is melted add onion and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add rice and coat it in the butter, toasting it a bit. When the rice becomes opaque, after about 1 minute, add the wine to the pan, enough to cover the rice, stir frequently.

When the rice has absorbed the wine, add a ladleful of broth to the pan and continue stirring. Repeat and once the rice starts to absorb the broth add all of the mushrooms. Continue adding the broth as the rice absorbs it, you want it to almost dry out before adding the broth each time.

When the rice is finished it should be al dente and all of the liquid should be absorbed. Remove from heat and toss in the clams and the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

One Year Ago: strascinati con carciofi e panna & Fried Artichokes

Three Years Ago: Asparagus and Ham Risotto with a Fried Egg

Four Years Ago: Roasted Chicken with Pomegranate Sauce, Spinach and Sausage Lasagna, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Penne with Zucchini, Roasted Tomatoes and Pistachios & Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Lemon, Celery and Carrots

~ by italicious on April 18, 2013.

Posted in clams, gluten free, mushrooms, parsley, primi, rice, risotto, Uncategorized
Tags: cardoncelli mushrooms, clams, first course, gluten free, mushrooms, rice, risotto, seafood