Orange and Squid Risotto

When I eat this orange risotto I just pretend I’m on a terrace facing the sea. The salty breeze caressing my face and the sound of the waves mixed with the squeak of seagulls as a background. …Yeah, I need a vacation.

This dish has a very refreshing and summer-y taste. It’s a perfect lunch or dinner for any occasion. You’ll only need a few basic ingredients and in just 30 minutes you’ll feel like you’re eating at a seaside restaurant.

Choosing the Oranges for this Risotto

Even though I added orange before in seafood salads, I’ve never had an orange risotto so the idea intrigued me. Could it work? Or would it be too sweet? The squid has a really delicate flavor and it can be easily overwhelmed so the good thing to do in this case is to add the orange juice a little bit at a time while the ricecooks and taste every time to be able to find the right balance and stop at the right moment.

The flavor will also depend on the type of orange you use because we know that every orange has a different flavor: Seville orange is bitter while the Navel is sweet and Blood oranges are somehow sour and sweet at the same time. For this risotto I used Navel oranges but you can also experiment with different varieties. See this guide for more details on orange varieties.

I preferred to choose a sweeter variety because it’s easier to balance the flavor with salt. While it’s more difficult to balance the sourness.

The Recipe

If you like this recipe, try also these Risottos:

• Asparagus Risotto
• Risotto alla Pescatora – Seafood Risotto
• Mojito Shrimp Risotto

Print Recipe

Orange and Squid Risotto

A refreshing citrusy risotto with oranges and squids. A perfect summer-y dish to enjoy at home and feel like at a seaside restaurant.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings: 2 people

Author: Jessica – Cooking my Dreams

Ingredients

• 160 g (2/3 cup) Carnaroli Rice
• 1 Orange juice and zest
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 Lemon zest
• 2 large Squids
• 1/2 White Onion
• 1/2 l (2 cups) Fish or Vegetable Stock
• Parsley
• Black Pepper
• Olive Oil

Instructions

• Clean the squids and cut it into rings, place them in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of orange juice, oil, salt, pepper and let them marinate for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
• Drizzle a pan with oil and toast the rice for 2-3 minutes, then add the squids with the marinade and let evaporate the liquid. Then add a couple of ladles of stock and wait until it's all absorbed before adding some more. Cook the risotto for about 15-20 minutes.
• Halfway through the cooking, stop adding stock and start adding orange juice to the rice, a little bit at a time tasting often to find the right balance of flavors.
• When the rice is cooked "al dente", turn off the heat and add the zest of the orange and the lemon (about 1 tablespoon in total, or less), the chopped parsley and finally stir in the butter to make it creamy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy risotto, italian food, seafood, summer dish

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