Ingredients
Tomato Salsa
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 1 bunch basil
- 50 ml Olive Oil
- 50 ml Vegetable Oil
Dried Basil
- 20 basil leafs
- Olive oil to brush
Fish Stock Risotto
- 500 g risotto rice
- 2 white onion
- 300 ml White Wine
- Butter
- 4 l Fish Stock
Mussels
- 10 green shell mussels
- 100 g Butter
- 100 ml White Wine
Directions
This is a fantastic risotto with mussels recipe provided by Chef Jiju Rajappen of Sheraton Samoa.
How to Make Tomato Salsa:
- Bring water to boil in a pot. Meanwhile score the tomatoes on the bottom with a cross.
- Blanch in boiling water for 45 secs to 1 minute.
- Cool down in ice water then peel off the skin.
- Cut into wedges and remove the seeds. Cut into 2 cm big cubes and store in a container.
- Combine olive oil, vegetable oil and basil in an upright blender and mix until you get a smooth mix.
- Combine tomatoes with basil mix to order.
How to Prepare the Dried Basil:
- Wrap a plate with cling film tightly and brush surface with olive oil.
- Now stick the basil leafs on top and brush again with olive oil.
- Cover with another layer of cling film. Make sure to cover tightly.
- Place in the microwave and cook for 30 secs. Take out and keep covered for another minute.
- Remove the first layer of cling film and the take out the basil leafs and store in airtight container until needed.
How to Make the Fish Stock Risotto:
- Start by heating up fish stock and simmer down to 2 l. Meanwhile finely chop onions.
- Warm up butter in a pot and slowly cook onions until glassy.
- Now add risotto rice and keep on cooking until the rice turns glassy too.
- Add white wine and simmer until white wine is almost completely evaporated.
- Now ladle by ladle add reduced fish stock until risotto is cooked al dente.
- Finish with a dash of olive oil and mussel butter
How to Prepare the Mussels:
- Heat up a pan with oil until oil almost starts smoking.
- Fry mussels in hot oil for 1 minute, add white wine and keep the flame on high.
- Cook until white wine is almost evaporated, then add butter and keep cooking.
- Take out mussels and use the remaining butter in the pan to finish the risotto.
Plating:
- Place 1 big spoon of risotto on the right side of a bowl plate.
- Place 2 mussels left next to it on the top and 1 spoon of tomato salsa left on the bottom. Finish with 2 dried basil leafs.
Photo credit: Chef on the move
