This risotto is a very special dish. Choose a good mix of seafood – try using red mullet, monkfish, bream, John Dory, cod (mullet), mussels, shellfish, prawns, and a small sliced squid. Use store-bought fish stock to make this risotto, or prepare one as described here. (Ask your fishmonger for fish heads to make the stock – these usually go to waste, so they should be given away for free.) The recipe differs slightly from the classic one, where the fish should be prepared in fillets before adding the bones and fish heads to the stock.
Put the exact amount of water in a large pot with the carrots, tomatoes, bay leaf, and whole parsley sprig, and bring to a boil, adding the whole fish but not the shellfish. Boil for 10 minutes, then remove each fish from the pot and remove all the flaked flesh from the bones. (If cod is used, try to remove the flesh from the cheeks, as it is the best part!) Put the meat on a plate; put all the bones back in the pot and boil for a further 15 minutes maximum, skimming off any scum from the surface as you go. Meanwhile, start preparing the basic risotto, adding the fennel, fennel seeds, chilli, and saffron to the pot.
Strain the stock into another pot, discarding the vegetables and bones. Add most of the fish stock to the risotto and reserve some to finish the dish. When the rice is almost cooked, during the third step, add the flaked fish and shellfish. After 3 or 4 minutes, the shellfish will be open (all those that were closed); remove from heat.
As it is understood that cheese and fish are not usually mixed in pasta or risotto dishes, parmesan will not be used here. Instead, at step 4, when the butter should be added, check the seasoning, add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and squeeze some lemon juice. To serve, divide the risotto and remaining stock between the plates. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and garnish with the remaining parsley and reserved fennel.