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Photo:Ali Redmond
Ali Redmond
Active Time:20 minsTotal Time:50 minsServings:6
Active Time:20 mins
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:50 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:6
Servings:
6
Jump to recipe
In our big Italian American family, pasta is essentially its own food group. But we’re also a family where type 2 diabetes is prevalent, which makes enjoying the carb-loaded cornerstone a bit more problematic, especially when trying to come up with a holiday menu.
Every Christmas Eve, my family gathers for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian American tradition where an elaborate coursed meal is served, consisting of seven different types of fish.
(Christmas Eve is a fast day for Roman Catholics, so meat is not allowed … seven different fishes though? Totally cool.) For us, the menu usually looks like shrimp cocktail,clams casino, baccala (salt cod) salad,salmon with a balsamic-vinegar reduction,air-fryer scallops,codand, of course, some kind of garlicky pasta with mussels or clams.
While much of the meal contains many diabetes-friendly foods for my Grandma Trisha, Aunt Dianne and the rest of us who are at ahigher risk for diabetes, the pasta is carb-heavy, and typically made with a refined grain.Whole grainsare recommended for people with diabetes, so I set out in search of an alternative—one that would feel authentic alongside our classic red sauce dishes.
When I came across Ina Garten’s foolproof, zero-stirring-requiredrisotto recipe, it struck me: Could I do a risotto with brown rice in a similar fashion? And if I steamed clams like I would forlinguine with clams, wouldn’t that make for a pretty tasty topping for the risotto? After a few tests, dear reader, it turns out it definitely would.
Rather than using traditional arborio rice, I opted for a short-grain brown rice instead. When making risotto, you need to use a short-grain rice, as the higher starch content gives risotto its signature creamy texture without needing to add any actual milk or cream. Brown arborio rice would work well too, but it’s not as easy to find in most grocery stores.
I also used littleneck clams for this recipe, which are the smallest variety of the quahog clams commonly found along the East Coast. Bigger clams, like cherrystones, could be used as well, but you likely will need to cook them in batches. When you get home with your clams, be sure to give them a good rinse in the sink, and discard any that have opened (or aren’t tightly shut).
While the risotto was cooking in the oven, my hands were free to clean the clams, chop parsley, thinly slice garlic and zest a lemon—pretty minimal prep with this recipe! When I’m planning meals for the holidays, meals with inactive time are my favorite—they’re ideal for entertaining, as they give me time to pour folks another glass of wine (or a mocktail!) and actually spend time with my family.
Speaking of wine, for this recipe, I went with an unoaked chardonnay, though any dry white wine with some citrusy notes, like a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, could work too. When choosing wines to cook with, I usually go with a bottle that’s budget-friendly, but that I’d still like to drink. After all, you’re only using a half-cup here, and if there’s one thing my Grandma Trisha taught me, it’s that wasting food is a sin—wine included.
About 15 minutes before the risotto finished up in the oven, I got to making the clams. While many recipes for clam sauce include an anchovy or two, I opted to use just ⅛ teaspoon of fish sauce instead. I’m much more likely to havefish sauce on handthan anchovies, and this easy swap has 53 milligrams of sodiumcompared to the 147 milligrams found in one anchovy. While sodium doesn’t impact blood glucose levels, it can raise your blood pressure. People with diabetes are more likely to also havehigh blood pressure, putting them at a higher risk for heart disease.
While there may be no twirlable noodles in this dish, the risotto was just as delicious with brown rice, and the clams are garlicky and briny, with a pop of heat from the red pepper and a bit of acidity from the lemon, a perfect contrast to the creamy risotto. I sent around photos of my tests to my family, who all agreed: we’ll be enjoying this dish as a delicious substitute for our usual pasta this year.
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)IngredientsRisotto4cupslow-sodium chicken brothorhomemade chicken stock1½cupsshort-grainbrown rice½cupgrated Parmesan cheese¼cup choppedfresh parsley, plus more for garnish1½tablespoonsunsalted butter¼teaspoonkosher saltFreshly ground black pepper, to tasteClams¼cupextra-virgin olive oil6clovesgarlic, thinly sliced2teaspoonslemon zest, plus more for garnish¼teaspooncrushed red pepper, plus more for garnish⅛teaspoonfish sauce½cupdrywhite wine3½poundslittleneck clams, scrubbed
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
Risotto
4cupslow-sodium chicken brothorhomemade chicken stock
1½cupsshort-grainbrown rice
½cupgrated Parmesan cheese
¼cup choppedfresh parsley, plus more for garnish
1½tablespoonsunsalted butter
¼teaspoonkosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Clams
¼cupextra-virgin olive oil
6clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
2teaspoonslemon zest, plus more for garnish
¼teaspooncrushed red pepper, plus more for garnish
⅛teaspoonfish sauce
½cupdrywhite wine
3½poundslittleneck clams, scrubbed
Directions
To prepare risotto:Preheat oven to 350°F. Add 4 cups broth (or stock) to a large Dutch oven; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in 1½ cups rice. Cover and bake until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare clams:Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to turn golden at the edges, about 2 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper and ⅛ teaspoon fish sauce; cook, stirring, until the garlic is fully golden, about 1 minute.
Remove the risotto from the oven; add about ½ cup of the clam liquid. Stir in ½ cup Parmesan, ¼ cup parsley, 1½ tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the risotto onto a large serving plate; top with the clams. Ladle another scoop of clam broth on top, about ¼ cup. Garnish with additional parsley, lemon zest and/or crushed red pepper, if desired.
Nutrition InformationServing Size: ⅔ cup risotto & about 8 clamsCalories 379, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 40mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total sugars 0g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 17g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 703mg, Potassium 292mg
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: ⅔ cup risotto & about 8 clamsCalories 379, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 40mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total sugars 0g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 17g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 703mg, Potassium 292mg
Serving Size: ⅔ cup risotto & about 8 clams
Calories 379, Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 40mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total sugars 0g, Added sugars 0g, Protein 17g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 703mg, Potassium 292mg
EatingWell.com, November 2024
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SourcesEatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish sauce.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish, anchovy.
Sources
EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish sauce.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish, anchovy.
EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish sauce.U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish, anchovy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish sauce.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Fish, anchovy.
