- 1 slice of nutmeg
- pinch coriander seeds
- 4 cloves
- 1cm/½in cinnamon stick
- pinch ground ginger
- 1 green cardamom pod, seeds only
- ⅛ tsp turmeric
- ⅛ tsp chilli powder
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 100g/3½oz celery, sliced
- 100g/3½oz carrots, sliced
- 25g/1oz button mushrooms, washed and sliced
- thyme sprig
- 1kg/2lb 4oz flatfish bones (such as brill, sole, plaice) or fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small garlic clove
- 250g/9oz prawn heads and shells
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 350g/12oz carnaroli rice
- ¼ tsp Byzantine spice mix
- 125ml/4fl oz dry white wine
- 1½ litre/2½ pints fish stock, hot
- 8 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 150ml/5fl oz prawn stock
- 2 red mullet fillets, cut diagonally into strips
- 1 squid, body cut into rings, plus tentacles
- 100g/3½oz small shrimps
- knob of butter
- 100g/3½oz white crab meat
- small handful chopped flatleaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the spice mix, grind all of the ingredients using a pestle and mortar or an electric grinder. Store in an airtight tin or box.
- For the fish stock, put all the ingredients except the fish bones into a large pan, add 2¼ litres/3¾ pints water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the fish bones (or fish fillet) and bring back up to a simmer, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan and simmer a little longer, if necessary, until reduced to about 1¼ litres/2 pints. Keep warm.
- For the prawn stock, heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and the prawn heads and shells. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes before adding the tomato purée, salt and 300ml/10fl oz water. Cook for 10 minutes, then pass through a sieve, pushing down on the shells to extract as much of the prawn flavour as you can. Discard the shells, set the stock aside and keep warm.
- For the risotto, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the shallots and garlic gently until softened. Add the rice and fry it in the oil for 2 minutes, then add the Byzantine spice mix and stir it through the rice.
- Add the white wine, bring to a simmer and allow to evaporate, then add a ladle of the hot fish stock.
- When this has been absorbed, add the next ladle, and continue to do so, stirring after each addition, until you have only a couple of ladlefuls left, this should take about 16-18 minutes. Add the mussels and prawn stock.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan until simmering and fry the red mullet strips, squid rings and tentacles and shrimps briskly for 2–3 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper. Stir the seafood into the risotto with the remaining fish stock and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until absorbed.
- Stir in the butter, crab meat and parsley, and serve immediately.