Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Risotto with Pan-Seared Salmon & Swordfish













RISOTTO WITH PAN-SEARED SALMON
& SWORDFISH

In my first post of the New Year I said that I was going to begin taking my own photos of my dishes and post them on a regular (yes regular) basis. I think an achievable goal might be one really good post per week.

So for dinner tonight I had leftover chicken broth from my homemade chicken soup that had been made from the chicken carcasses I had left from the homemade grilled chicken and onions I made for Christmas dinner. How's that for using things and not wasting food!

So tonight I used that chicken broth with some wonderful swordfish steaks and a singular salmon filet I had in the freezer and made this quite delicious Risotto with pan-seared salmon and swordfish.

The first step was to sear the fish. Place 2 -3 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook until almost done about 3 -4 minutes per side at relatively high heat. The high heat gives a nice brown color to the fish and infuses a wonderful flavor.



This is how the fish should look when it comes out of the pan. Brown, moist and nearly cooked but not quite done. It will finish cooking when you remove it from the pan.



When the fish is done cooled a bit, cut it into bitesized pieces and set aside.



After you've finished cooking the fish, it's time to begin making the risotto. Take 1 medium onion and dice it. Cook in the same pan you cooked the fish in with 2 -3 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook until the onion is opaque but not browned, about 7 - 10 minutes on medium low heat. When the onion is opaque, add 1 1/2 cups of risotto and stir. Cook on medium low for about 3 minutes.



This is where you're ready to begin adding the stock. You add it about 1/2 cup at a time until most of the liquid is absorbed. Once 1/2 cup is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup until the rice is moist but a teeny bit hard in the middle. Just a little bit hard, or al dente', as we say in Italy. It will take about 3 -4 cups of broth to make it soft.

Once the rice is soft with a slightly firm center, add the fish and a bit more stock if needed to keep it nice and moist. There should be a bit of liquid in the pan. I also add about 1 tablespoon of butter. This gives it a nice smooth texture and adds a lovely sheen to the dish....and who doesn't like butter : ) Cook it about 5 minutes more to reheat the fish throughout and voila - you're done!



Place a portion in a soup bowl and sprinkle parsley around the rim for a lovely presentation, and voila', you're done.

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