The other night I was craving for something new and original and, after browsing recipes for half an hour without finding anything inspiring, I opened my refrigerator hoping to find an idea. Looking at the fennel bulbs that I was planning to cook au gratin (see my recipe), I started to wonder how they would taste in a risotto instead. Probably bland, I concluded. But what if I added to them a stronger flavor? Smoked salmon suddenly seemed the perfect pairing and, since my husband is a very tolerant guinea pig, I decided to try the experiment.
Perhaps because I adore salmon in any possible way, I ended up loving this risotto: it’s healthy, it’s low-calorie, it’s light, it has an appealing look, and it makes a meal in less than half an hour!
Ingredients:
(for 4 people) F W B Gf
- 1 bulb of fennel
- 4 oz. of smoked salmon
- 10 oz. of rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
- 1 quart of boiling water
- 2 Tbsp. of butter
- 3 Tbsp. of EVOO
- 1 organic bouillon cube
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
Trim the fennel stalks and wash the bulb. Cut it in four lengthwise, then cut each half in two, Slice it thinly, starting from where you removed the stalks and discarding the hard root end.Cut the smoked salmon into small pieces and set aside.
Peel the onion and chop it finely. Sauté the onion with the extra virgin olive oil and half of the butter, on medium heat, until slightly golden. Add the bouillon cube and let it melt, then add the fennel and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
Raise the heat to high, add the rice and let it toast – always stirring – for a couple of minutes, until the grains look translucent. This passage is very important because the rice must absorb the fat so that it doesn’t absorb too much liquid while cooking and its grains remain separated.
Add 1 cup of hot water, stir the rice, and lower the heat to medium-low. When the risotto starts to look too thick, add some hot water, one ladle at a time, stirring often.
It usually takes between 12 and 15 minutes for the rice to cook.
After 5 minutes, add the smoked salmon. After 10 minutes, start tasting the risotto and, when it feels almost done, adjust for salt if needed, add half a ladle of water, stir, remove from stove and let it sit – covered – for a couple of minutes. Uncover, stir in the rest of the butter, and serve immediately as it tends to thicken very rapidly.