Authentic Vongole Risotto

Directions

1. 1
   Thoroughly rinse the Manila clams after they have been de-sanded and de-salted.
2. 2
   *De-salt especially thoroughly if you harvested the clams yourself.
3. 3
   To de-sand: Make plenty of 3% saline solution.
4. 4
   Rinse the clams and line them on a shallow tray with some space in between.
5. 5
   Pour in the saline solution until the clams are mostly submerged, cover with newspaper and leave in a cool, dark place overnight, occasionally changing the water.
6. 6
   Rinse again afterward.
7. 7
   To de-salt: Rinse the de-sanded clams, and line them on a colander or a tray without overlapping.
8. 8
   Cover with wet paper towel and leave them in a cool place for 3 hours.
9. 9
   Prepare the A ingredients as noted in the ingredients list.
10. 10
    Warm the soup stock and keep warm over very low heat.
11. 11
    In a cool pot that could fit all of the soup stock, start heating the B olive oil and half of the garlic over low heat.
12. 12
    Make sure to use a cold pot.
13. 13
    When the garlic from Step 4 turns a beige color and is fragrant, add the prepared Manila clam and saute for about 10 seconds.
14. 14
    The heat should be medium-low.
15. 15
    Add the white wine to the pot and cover with a lid.
16. 16
    Steam the clams over low heat.
17. 17
    When 80-90% of the clams have opened, remove the lid and add all of the soup stock.
18. 18
    Once it comes to a boil, remove any scum that floats up and leave over very low heat.
19. 19
    In a separate frying pan, cook the rest of the garlic in the C olive oil over low heat to infuse the oil.
20. 20
    When the garlic turns a beige color and is fragrant, add the onion, season lightly with salt and pepper, and saute until translucent.
21. 21
    Once the onion has turned translucent, add the uncooked rice.
22. 22
    Stir the rice to coat with the oil.
23. 23
    The heat should be medium-low.
24. 24
    As you stir, the rice will become coated with the oil and will start to look translucent.
25. 25
    Once the rice has thoroughly heated through, add the tomato, juice and all, and stir to combine.
26. 26
    Add the takanotsume and the hot soup from Step 7 until the rice is just submerged, and cook over medium-low heat.
27. 27
    From Step 13 and on, try not to stir or disturb the content of the frying pan.
28. 28
    If you are worried about it sticking, gently agitate the frying pan.
29. 29
    When the soup reduces a bit, add more of the hot soup from Step 7 until the rice is just submerged.
30. 30
    Repeat Steps 13 and 15 until the rice is al dente (when the grains are still a bit firm in the center).
31. 31
    It will take about 15-17 minutes starting from Step 13 until the rice is ready.
32. 32
    Add about two ladlefuls of the soup for each addition and cook slowly and patiently.
33. 33
    After 13 minutes have passed from Step 13, add all of the clams in the pot from Step 7 to the frying pan, and also add the butter.
34. 34
    Use a timer.
35. 35
    After 2 minutes have passed from Step 18, add the Italian parsley and check for the doneness of the rice.
36. 36
    If it wasn't quite done yet, keep cooking.
37. 37
    When the rice is at your favorite texture, stop the heat and adjust the taste, if necessary.
38. 38
    Grind some black pepper and serve.
39. 39
    You'll have nice al dente rice just like at a restaurant, and it'll go perfectly well with the tartness of the tomato and the heat of the takanotsume.
40. 40
    Easily enjoy the flavors of the restaurant with this vongole rosso risotto.
41. 41
    My husband likes the clam risotto on the soupy side, but I'm sure that many of you would prefer the more dry risotto like in this picture.
42. 42
    I made Step 23 without tomatoes, but otherwise it was the same, but this one is not soupy.
43. 43
    I added grated Parmesan cheese along with the black pepper at the end.
44. 44
    This is also very tasty.
45. 45
    Adjust how soupy the risotto is around Step 18, by adjusting when you add the soup and how much you reduce the soup after each addition.
46. 46
    If you continue cooking with the rice submerged, it'll become soupy.
47. 47
    If you reduce the soup more as you cook, it won't become soupy.
48. 48
    Please adjust to your liking.
49. 49
    Be sure to keep the soup from Step 7 over heat so that the soup will be hot and when you add the soup to the rice in Step 13, the content of the frying pan will be constantly at a simmer.
50. 50
    You will not necessarily use up the soup from Step 7.
51. 51
    It will depend on the heat that you cook in, your desired texture, and how soupy you want your risotto to be.
52. 52
    On the other hand, if you run out of soup before the rice has cooked sufficiently, you probably used too high a heat for cooking the soup and the risotto.