Grilled Salmon with Lemon Basil Risotto
This dish is possibly the best salmon dish I've ever had. I'm not usually a salmon fan, but when it's skin is super golden and crispy and paired with a creamy citrus risotto it really doesn't get much better. Fish is just so good for us and risotto is perfect in winter - you'll be seeing a lot more of it on stylepot!
What to do:
2 salmon fillets
Salt and pepper
1 brown onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1.5 litres warm chicken stock (may need more)
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
20g butter
Olive oil
What to do:
Heat the olive oil in a frypan and fry the onion and garlic. When the onion is transparent, add the rice and stir until glossy. Reduce heat to medium. Add the wine, lemon juice and basil. Stir until absorbed. Add about a quarter of a cup/a good glug of the stock and stir until absorbed. Add the same amount of stock and stir until absorbed. Continue this process until the rice has cooked. (You'll need to keep testing the rice - when cooked, it will be almost double the size it was when dried and there should be no crunch but a little bit of chewiness when you bite a grain.)
When your rice has gone a little puffy but it is still not fully cooked, heat some oil in a frypan and fry the salmon skin side down. Leave it to fry for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. While this is happening, keep tending to your risotto. Turn the fillet and let it cook to the desired level.
Once the rice has cooked, add a bit more stock and stir in the cheese and butter. Let the risotto reduce until the liquid is thick but smooth and silky. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the salmon when it is cooked.
Note: If you aren't keen on multitasking, just cook the risotto and set it aside. Then cook your salmon. Once the salmon has cooked, turn off the heat and leave it in the pan.
Add some stock to the risotto to moisten it up and follow the last step to reheat.
