Sardinian Fregola with Seafood and Samphire

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan with a clove of garlic in its skin. Add the razor clams, clams, and cockles. Cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat until they open, stirring occasionally.

2. 2

   Once open, transfer the shellfish to a bowl. Shell the seafood and strain the cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a kitchen cloth to remove any sand. Set the liquid aside.

3. 3

   In a second pan, heat another drizzle of olive oil with a clove of garlic in its skin. Add the cleaned mussels, cover, and cook over high heat until they open. Transfer to a bowl, shell them, and strain the cooking liquid. Add it to the other shellfish liquid.

4. 4

   Blanch 50g of samphire for 30 seconds in boiling water, then drain and cool immediately in ice water.

5. 5

   Place the blanched samphire in a blender with the dill, wild fennel, and a tablespoon of the shellfish cooking liquid. Add a splash of ice water and blend. Gradually pour in the sunflower seed oil while blending until you obtain a fluid, bright green emulsion.

6. 6

   Toast the fregola in a dry saucepan until the grains are warm to the touch. Begin cooking risotto-style, pouring the filtered shellfish liquid one ladle at a time, alternating with hot water to balance the saltiness.

7. 7

   After 6-7 minutes, add the 100g of coarsely chopped samphire. Continue cooking, adding liquid as needed, for a total of 12-14 minutes.

8. 8

   When there is 1 minute remaining, stir in 3-4 tablespoons of the samphire emulsion and stir vigorously. Turn off the heat and add three-quarters of the shellfish.

9. 9

   Season with grated lemon zest and another tablespoon of samphire emulsion. Stir gently to combine.

10. 10

    Plate the fregola in the center of each dish. Garnish with the reserved whole shellfish, sprigs of fresh dill or fennel, a grind of black pepper, a drizzle of raw olive oil, and a final sprinkle of lemon zest. Serve immediately.