CLAM CHOWDER RISOTTO W/ CELERY PROSCIUTTO SALT

Ingredients

• 3oz (25 grams) prosciutto
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp celcery/caraway seeds
• 1 small onion, finely minced
• 1/4 celery, finely minced
• 1 cup (195 grams) farro
• 3/4 cup (137 grams) arborio rice
• 3 cups (710 grams) chicken stock, preferably unsalted
• 2 cups (475 grams) whole milk
• 20~25 little neck clams (approx 23 oz/650 grams)
• 4 tbsp (57 grams) unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Torn the prosciutto into small pieces with your hands, then add into a large sauce-pot along with olive oil. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the prosciutto is very dried and crispy, approx 5~7 min. Remove the prosciutto with a slotted spoon, leaving the oil in the pot, then transfer over some paper towels and pat the prosciutto dry off of any excess oil. Toast the caraway seeds in another pan over medium heat, until they start to pop and smell fragrant. Then grind the crispy prosciutto and the caraway seeds together in a mortar until finely ground. Set aside.
2. Return the sauce-pot with the prosciutto oil to medium heat. Add the finely minced onion and celery with a small pinch of salt and a bit of ground black pepper, then cook until very soft and translucent (they should NOT be browned), approx 6~8 min. Add the farrow and arborio rice, then cook for another 2min. Add 2 cups of chicken stock or until it covers the rice completely, and keep it on a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. When the liquid-level goes below the rice, add the rest of the chicken stock. When the liquid evaporates again, add 1 cup of whole milk. By the time the liquid goes below the rice again, the rice and farrow should be al dente with a bit of bite to them. At this point, add the last cup of milk and the little neck clams.
3. As the risotto simmers, the clams will open at a drastically different pace. To avoid over-cooking the clams that open earlier, I like to remove them from the pot as they open. Then once the last few remaining clams have opened, return the rest back into the pot. (Farro is less starchy than arborio, so you may notice that the risotto isn't as thick as expected. If you want, you can thicken it by mixing 1 tsp of water with 1 tsp of cornstarch, and stirring it into the risotto as it cooks). Taste and re-season with a bit of salt and ground black pepper (this depends on the brininess of the clams), but keep it a little on the under-seasoned side because we're going to top it with the prosciutto salt. Stir in the unsalted butter until melted then turn off the heat.
4. Serve immediately. Seasoned with a bit more ground black pepper at the table and a generous sprinkle of prosciutto and caraway seed salt.

Notes