mussel and saffron risotto with kale crisps

Fish & Seafood

Mussel and saffron risotto with kale crisps

Drescription

A saffron-spiced seafood risotto topped with vibrant kale crisps – perfect for a dinner party.

Ingredients

1kg/2lb 4oz mussels, scrubbed clean, discard any that don’t close when tapped gently
100ml/3½fl oz white wine
pinch saffron, mixed with 1 tbsp hot water
1 leek, sliced into rounds
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
75g/2½oz unsalted butter, plus 2 tbsp for frying
1 onion, roughly chopped
200g/7oz arborio rice
500ml/18fl oz fish stock, warmed
150g/5½oz parmesan, grated
1 lemon, juice only
2 tbsp vegetable oil
50g/1¾oz kale
2 sheets nori, crushed
pinch salt
pinch light brown sugar
1 lemon, zest only

Directions

To make the risotto, heat a large saucepan with a lid and add the mussels, wine, saffron, leek, garlic, thyme and bay and cook until the mussels have opened. This will take 2-4 minutes, depending on the size of the mussels. Drain and reserve the liquor. Remove the mussels from the shells and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter and onions. Add the wine and reduce by half. Gradually add the stock a ladle at a time and continually stir until all the stock has been added and the rice is cooked but has a bite to it.
Stir in the mussel liquor and mussels with the cheese, remaining butter and lemon juice.
To make the kale crisps, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the kale. Cook over a high heat until crispy and remove from the heat. Place in a bowl and add the crushed nori, salt, sugar and lemon zest.
Spoon the risotto into a serving bowl, remove the thyme springs and garnish with the kale.

Slow Cooker Dal Makhani

Using a slow cooker for this dal curry recipe is brilliant—the lentils cook until they're perfectly tender. For the creamiest results, use whole urad dal (versus split), which you can get online or at Indian markets. This particular bean breaks down beautifully, giving the dish its rich, creamy texture. For a stovetop variation, see below. Serve it over rice with Indian-style green chutney and a side of plain yogurt.