FOUR CHEESE RISOTTO RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas 3.
  2. Blanch the tomatoes in a large pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice-cold water and peel the skins. Tip into a medium roasting tray.
  3. Peel and slice the garlic, pick the rosemary leaves and scatter over the tomatoes. Drizzle over a little oil, then toss to coat and space them out in a single layer. Roast for 40 minutes, or until golden.
  4. Remove the heads and tails from the langoustines, then peel the skin and roughly chop the sweet meat. Check the mussels and sort through the clams, giving any that aren’t tightly closed a tap. If they don’t close, discard them. Finely slice the squid and reserve for later. Pick through the crab meat, removing any shell.
  5. Put the saffron in a small bowl, cover with 50ml of freshly boiled water and leave to infuse.
  6. For the risotto, peel and finely chop the onion, celery and fennel, reserving any nice leaves and herby tops for garnish, then place in a large, high-sided pan on a medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook for 15 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally, then stir in the rice to toast for 2 minutes.
  7. Pour in the wine, and stir until absorbed. Add a ladleful of stock and wait until it’s been fully absorbed before adding another, stirring for around 10 seconds every minute and continuing to add ladlefuls of stock until the rice is soft and a pleasure to eat, but retains its shape and a tiny bit of bite. It will need 16 to 18 minutes,
  8. Add the saffron and its soaking liquid, then stir in the mussels and clams.
  9. When the mussels are just starting to open up, go in with the squid, crab and langoustine. Beat in the butter, finely grate and and beat in the Parmesan, then season to perfection and turn the heat off. Cover the pan and leave to relax for 1 to 2 minutes so the risotto becomes creamy and oozy. Beat again, adding a little extra stock if necessary.
  10. Carefully pour the risotto onto a large platter and discard any mussels or clams that remain closed. Dot over the roasted tomatoes, scatter over the reserved celery leaves and herby fennel tops, then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Dish up and enjoy!

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. With a knife, cut the cores out of the tomatoes, then place cut side down in a snug-fitting baking dish with the whole garlic bulb, and scatter over the thyme sprigs.
  3. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, season with sea salt, and roast for 1 hour, or until starting to burst open (the juices will add game-changing flavour later on).
  4. Bring the stock to a simmer. Peel and finely chop the onion and fennel, reserving any herby tops, then place in a large, high-sided pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 knob of butter.
  5. Cook for 10 minutes, or until softened but not coloured, stirring occasionally, then stir in the rice to toast for 2 minutes. Pour in the vermouth and stir until absorbed.
  6. Add a ladleful of stock and wait until it’s been fully absorbed before adding another, stirring constantly and adding ladlefuls of stock until the rice is cooked – it will need 16 to 18 minutes.
  7. Beat in the remaining knob of butter, finely grate and beat in the Parmesan, then season to perfection and turn the heat off. Cover the pan and leave to relax for 2 minutes so the risotto becomes creamy and oozy.
  8. Divide the risotto between warm plates, place a tomato in the centre with a little sweet garlic and the herby fennel tops, then drizzle over the tasty tomato juices.