Clam Risotto

Photo: flickr user cometstarmoon

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds littleneck clam, washed

1 lrg shallot, finely, chopped

cup white wine

1 juice of one lemon

salt

freshly cracked black pepper

Risotto

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lrgs shallot, finely, chopped

2 cups arborio rice

cup pancetta, finely, diced

1 cup white wine

6 cups fish stock

1 cup reserved clam, juice, juice from half a

juice from half a lemon

cup frozen sweet peas, blanched

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Preparation

Heat a 2 inch deep-sided saute pan. Add butter and olive oil. Saute shallots until transparent. Add littleneck clams and wine. Cover and let simmer until clams open. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set clams aside. Reserve clam juice for risotto.

Risotto:Preheat another saute pan and add olive oil, butter and shallots. Saute until shallots are transparent. Add rice and pancetta. Toast slightly and let rice absorb the butter and olive oil. Deglaze rice mixture with wine. Add fish stock a little at a time, letting rice absorb all the liquid before adding more. Keep adding liquid until rice is al dente. Add reserved clam juice, lemon juice, sweet peas and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and add unsalted butter. Toss reserved open clams into the risotto.