World on a Plate: Italy (+recipe)

Christopher Germuts. Photo / Supplied

Chef Cristopher Germuts places a dish of steaming risotto on the table and says "Risotto must have a little bit of bite." To sample his risotto, head to Gina's Italian Kitchen in Symonds St. He is also preparing this seafood dish for Italian Day today at the Auckland Museum's Kai to Pie exhibition.

1 cup arborio rice
2 cups seafood: prawns, calamari and mussels (in shells for presentation)
3 cups fish stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
generous dollop of butter
handful of chopped Italian parsley
lemon juice
pepper to taste
quality extra virgin olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in a medium size pot then add the arborio rice and stir until it starts to turn white. Turn down heat to medium/high and slowly add fish stock. Stir until rice is al dente. Allow 20 minutes for this part.

2. In a separate pan, fry the chopped garlic in olive oil until softened then add white wine and seafood of your choice. Cover when seafood is just cooked and set aside.

3. Add butter to the rice and fold in. Spoon into serving dishes, top with seafood and sprinkle with chopped Italian parsley, ground pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Risotto con frutti di mare.

* For more on Auckland Museum's World on a Plate series, click here.