We really liked this tasty risotto made with delicious stock from the mussels. Jules bought half the quantity of mussels (in error!) but it was no worse for it. The sort of thing we like to eat on a Friday night with a glass of something bubbly.
Wine Suggestion: As we have a few bottles of Sparkling Saumur lying around after our summer holiday to the Loire this year, we automatically gravitated to this and found it a good match. This time we opened the Bouvet-Ladubay Trésor blanc, a blend of mostly Chenin Blanc with some Chardonnay. Fresh and vibrant but with the quality of fruit to stand up to the food. Cost aside, we don’t know why more sparkling wines aren’t matched with food.
Mussel & fennel risotto – serves 4
- 1.75kg mussels, cleaned thoroughly (discard any that don’t close when you hit them off the side of the sink)
- 250ml dry white wine
- a few parsley stalks
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ fennel bulb, trimmed & diced
- 300g risotto rice
- 50ml dry vermouth
- 4 tbsp finely chopped parsley
- a squeeze of lemon juice
Put the mussels into a large saucepan over a medium heat with the white wine, parsley stalks and peppercorns. Cover and cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until opened. Shake the pan a couple of times as they cook.
Strain over a bowl to catch the cooking liquor and remove the mussels from their shells. Throw away any that haven’t opened.
Strain the liquor through a sieve lined with muslin to catch any grit, then heat until simmering gently.
Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pan and sauté the onion, garlic and fennel over a medium heat until the onion is soft but not coloured. Stir in the risotto rice. Pour on the vermouth, then add the mussel liquor a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously. The rice should be cooked after about 20 minutes. Add some water if you run out of mussel liquor.
Stir in the mussels, parsley, lemon juice and seasoning to taste.
(Original recipe from Food from Plenty by Diana Henry, Mitchell Beazley, 2010.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
Looks divine!
Thanks Irena!