stirred tomato risotto with mussels

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
3 1/2 – 4 cups (28 fl oz – 1 3/4 pints) fish or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups (12 fl oz) tomato puree
2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
3/4 cups (6 fl oz) white wine
1 tablespoon butter
1 kg (2 lb) mussels, scrubbed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
cracked black pepper and sea salt

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, leeks and thyme and cook for 4 minutes or until the leeks are golden. Place the stock and tomato puree in a saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Add the rice to the leek mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the hot stock to the rice , 1 cup (8 fl oz) at a time, stirring until each cup of stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente. While the rice is cooking place the wine and butter in a frying pan over high heat. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 2 minutes or until the mussels have opened. To serve, stir parmesan, pepper and salt through the risotto and spoon onto serving plates. Top with the mussels and their pan juices. Serves 4.

I’ve done this with both fish and chicken and it is just as tasty.