Clean them thoroughly: collect them in a bowl, rinse them and scrub them under running water. Take out any open mussels. Remove the mussel beard, then transfer them into a colander.

Pour the olive oil into a saucepan, and add the smashed garlic clove. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, then add the mussels. Cover and cook the mussels over medium heat until they open up.

Remove the mussels from the heat and filter the liquid left in the pan. Add it to the stock to cook the risotto.

Collect the mussels in a small bowl and discard the shells. Leave just a couple of whole mussels for decoration.

Pour the olive oil into a saucepan, and add the smashed garlic clove and chili pepper flakes to taste. Cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, then add the baby squids, cut into small pieces, and the shrimps.

Now cook the seafood over medium heat until it is soft and has absorbed all the liquid it releases. Set aside.

Add the olive oil and half of the butter into a pan, followed by the minced onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt (the salt will help you cook down the onion without burning it). Sauté the onion over low heat until it becomes translucent and soft; just a few minutes will be enough.

Add the rice and use a wooden spoon to stir it into the sautéed onion. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the rice toast, constantly stirring, until it is translucent, almost pearly. Again, a few minutes will be enough.

Pour the white wine over the rice and cook, stirring with the wooden spoon, until all of it has cooked off or been absorbed by the rice.

Now, pour in the hot stock in four separate additions, stirring very often and waiting for each addition to be completely absorbed before adding the next. The risotto will become creamier thanks to the starch released by the rice as it is cooked in the stock.

Halfway through the cooking, when you have used about half of the stock, add the cooked seafood and the shelled mussels, and stir thoroughly to incorporate it.

This whole process will take about 15 minutes. Remember to taste the risotto every now and then, as you might not need all of the stock. The rice is ready when it feels soft, but still with a hard soul inside, slightly al dente.

When you have finished pouring in the stock—or maybe you’ll have just a tiny bit left—and the rice is cooked but still al dente, remove the risotto from the heat. Add the remaining butter and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and stir well. Taste it one last time to see if it still needs a little salt.

Serve the risotto into individual bowls, topping it with the reserved mussels and sprinkling the chopped parsley on top.