Smoked salmon & leek risotto

Don't you think it seems like ages since last time I posted risotto on this blog? I have checked - last time I did it in September. Would you believe? We obviously had risotto since then, many, many times. I simply did not have a chance to take some photos, and believe me or not I have a good excuse. Every time I cook risotto I cannot wait to eat it, my hands are shaking, how do I suppose to focus on making a good photo?

If you are, like me, risotto maniacs or perhaps you just want to learn to how to cook this dish I believe today's should be a good one for you. It is a classic flavour combination and in my opinion is dead easy to make. A good winter risotto while I am waiting for all those lovely season vegetables like peas or asparagus.

I have improvised, if you want you can add the salmon to the risotto just before resting it, I prefer uncooked smoked fish on the top. Bon appetite!


Serves 2-4

about. 25 g butter
1 leek, white and light green part, cut lengthwise and sliced
about 200g arborio rice (or other risotto rice ie. carnaroli)
about 150 ml dry white wine
zest and juice of one lemon
about 1l vegetable stock
about 250g smoked salmon
few tbsp chopped fresh dill
salt
freshly ground black pepper



Keep the stock hot all the time.

In a separate pan heat half of the butter, add the leek and fry very slowly without colouring until softened. Then add rice and turn up the heat.

Fry the rice, stirring all the time. After a minute it will look slightly translucent. Add the lemon zest, juice and wine and keep stirring until alcohol will evaporate.

Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add a ladle of hot stock and turn down the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring – you will notice a creamy starch from the rice. This is why you have to allow each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining butter, stir well and allow to rest for about one minute. At this stage you can add salmon, but I preferred it on the top. Finish it up with smoked salmon and chopped dill. Serve immediately, risotto cannot be reheated.