This recipe may be reproduced with the following credit:
http://www.chefsilvia.com; SILVIA BIANCO

Seafood Risotto

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 pound risotto, made from Arborio rice prepared according to package directions and kept warm (see note)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Red pepper flakes to taste
2 dozen small clams, rinsed
2 dozen small mussels, cleaned and debearded
12 large sea scallops
12 medium to large shrimp, shelled, cleaned, and deveined
1/2 medium clove garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes, diced
2 to 3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup White Wine Sauce (page 000)
1/4 cup clam juice or fish broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
1 tablespoon Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, stems removed and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 to 6 lemon wedges, for garnish

Prepare the risotto. Either keep the finished risotto warm in a 200ºF. oven or cook it while you prepare the rest of this recipe.

Put the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large sauté pan over high heat for about 30 seconds, or until the oil is hot but not smoking. Cook the clams, mussels, and scallops (on both sides) for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the clams begin to open and the scallops begin to turn opaque. Add the shrimp and cook everything for 1 minute more, until the shrimp turn pink on one side. Turn the shrimp, add the garlic, and cook for a few seconds, until the garlic begins to turn golden.

Cook the tomatoes for another 30 seconds. Add the wine, White Wine Sauce, and clam juice or fish broth, and cook for about 1 minute more, just until the sauce begins to boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the butter and cream if desired, simmer for about a minute until the sauce thickens, remove from the heat, and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, stir some of the liquid part of the sauce into the risotto, then spoon the risotto onto individual serving plates. Top each serving with the remainder of the sauce and the seafood. If desired, arrange the mussels all along the rim of the platter or plate, then add the seafood in the center. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt and pepper, and garnish each serving plate with a lemon wedge.

Note: Arborio rice, for making risotto, is sold in 1-kilogram boxes (2.2 pounds) and comes in two packages. The cooking time is about 15 minutes, but it’s best prepared slightly underdone because it will continue cooking after it’s removed from the heat.