Instructions

1. Use your hands when cleaning the mussels and discard any mussel with a broken shell. A fresh mussel is closed, or will close when being handled, should feel heavy and smell of the sea. If in doubt about a mussel is alive or dead, always discard.
2. Put a pan on medium heat. Add the butter, shallot, carrot, celery and fennel and sweat gently for 3-5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat up, add the mussels and white wine , cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes until the mussels are open.
4. Line a sieve with muslin, drain and save the liquid for later. Extract the mussels. Discard shells and all mussels not opened.
5. Handle the mussels once again, making sure all beards are removed. Pour a bit of mussel jus over to keep them moist, just a few spoonfuls. Not much is needed.
6. Start making the risotto. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Sweat the shallot and fennel in the butter until translucent and soft.
7. Add the rice and cook for another 2-4 minutes until translucent.
8. Add a laddleful of hot stock and let it simmer away before adding another laddleful. Reduce the stock each time before adding more. Stir regularly.
9. Meanwhile put 100 ml of mussel jus in a pan and reduce it to about 50 ml. If you have more than 100 ml of mussel jus, use the remains in the risotto, replacing some of the fish stock.
10. After 15-20 minutes the risotto should be cooked through. You want the rice to be creamy and tender, not soft nor gritty. Add the mussels and a bit more stock. You want the risotto wavy, not firm. If the mussels are large, cut them in half.
11. Add parmesan cheese, chopped dill and butter to the risotto and keep stirring until the butter is absorbed. Take the pan of the heat, put a lid on and leave to rest for two minutes before plating up.
12. Pour the cream into the reduced mussel jus and let it warm through.
13. Right before service, use a handheld blender or a whisk to whip air into the mussel jus. You need to do this seconds before plating up, otherwise the foam will disasppear. Use a spoon to skim the foam of the surface. You need to repeat this step for each plate.
14. Serve the risotto in warm plates and top with a bit of mussel foam. Serve immediately.

• Course : Main courses
• Recipe Type : Fish and SeafoodPasta and Rice
• Ingredient : Blue mussels, Butter, Carrot, Celery, Cream, Dill, Fennel, Parmesan cheese, Risotto rice, Shallot, Stock, White wine