Main Supper

Seafood Orzo Risotto

Substitute rice for orzo pasta to make this stunning seafood orzotto, it's pure sunshine on a plate!

15 minutes prep, 40 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

360g orzo pasta

½ tsp smoked paprika

160g diced tomatoes 1

25ml white wine

A pinch of saffron threads

2 litres chicken stock

A small handful of finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

A pinch of dried chilli flakes

A pinch of fennel seeds

200g sliced squid

A couple of handfuls of live mussels or clams, cleaned

A couple of handfuls of prawns/shrimp

400g firm white fish fillets, such as cod or monkfish, cubed

75g petit pois

A splash of ouzo

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive or rapeseed oil, for cooking and drizzling

Method

In a large, deep-sided frying pan, fry the onion in a little oil for 5-10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add half the garlic, the orzo and smoked paprika.

Fry the orzo for a couple of minutes before introducing the tomatoes, wine and saffron to the pan.

Reduce the wine until almost gone, season, then add half the stock. Simmer gently, giving it an occasional stir, until the stock is absorbed.

Add the rest of the stock in batches until the orzo is cooked through, but has a tiny bit of chewiness; this will take around 20-30 minutes. You may need a little less or more stock depending on the size of your orzo.

It will thicken as it cools, so keep some stock by in case you need to loosen it later.

Once the orzo is done to your liking, remove it from the heat. Add most of the chopped parsley and the chilli flakes and let it rest.

Next, add a little oil to a clean pan, add the fennel seeds and the remaining garlic to warm through. Introduce the shellfish and fish to the pan and fry for 1 minute.

Add the petit pois and a tbsp or two of water and cover to cook the seafood for just a few minutes. Remove the lid and let any residual water evaporate, discarding any mussels that do not open

Add a splash of ouzo and reduce until almost gone. Remove from the heat and pour the entire contents into the cooked orzo and fold through.

Add a little more stock if it’s too thick. Taste for seasoning, pour onto a large platter, scatter with the remaining chopped parsley, a drizzle of oil and a small squeeze of lemon juice.