Recipe - Risotto With Seafood And Dill

1 pound Medium shrimp (1624 count)
3 pound Assorted bivalves (in shell)
such as Manila clams,
small mussels, & scallops
1 cup Dry white wine
Water
1 bn Dill
1 small Onion; finely minced
1 Bay leaf
1 qt Fish broth; OR
16 ounce Bottled clam juice
3 tablespoon Olive oil
2 tablespoon Unsalted butter
1 small Onion; coarsely chopped
3 Garlic cloves; minced
2 cup Arborio rice
4 Green onions; trimmed with
about 4" green and cut
in 1/2inch lengths
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges (optional)
1 cup Freshly grated Parmesan
(optional)

Shell and devein the shrimp, rinsing only if necessary. Reserve the shells
to enhance the broth.

Heat the other shellfish, once kind at a time, in the wine in a tightly
covered pan. Remove them as they open to a dish.

Strain the shellfish liquor into a pot through a sieve lined with rinsed
white paper toweling or tripled cheesecloth. Add the shrimp shells, about 2
cups of water, three or four dill sprigs, the coarsely chopped onion, bay
leaf, and fish broth or clam juice. Simmer about 15 minutes, then strain
and measure the broth. You should have at least 2 quarts; add wine or water
if necessary to equal this amount. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the
broth to just below a simmer and keep warm.

Meanwhile, saute the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 11/2
minutes, or until just pink. Transfer the shrimp to the dish with the other
shellfish.

Place the remaining olive oil and butter in a large casserole that can be
used on the stove, cover, and sweat the minced onion and garlic over
mediumlow heat. When the onion is softened, add the rice, stir well, and
reduce the heat. Saute the rice gently for about 10 minutes, then stir in
about 2 cups of broth. Raise the heat again to mediumlow. Continue
stirring the risotto and adding more broth, about One half cup at a time, as
soon as the previous addition of liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, remove the leaves from five or six dill sprigs and chop them.

The risotto will be creamy and the rice al dente when it is done, in 16 to
20 minutes. Two or three minutes before this point, stir in the bivalves,
then the shrimp, chopped dill, and green onions if desired. When the dish
is heated through, remove it from the heat and add salt and pepper. If the
risotto is too thick, add more hot broth. Serve immediately. Pass lemon
wedges and cheese if desired.

* Source: The Herb Companion, August/September 1993 * Typos by: Karen
Mintzias

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini