Heat the butter in a large saucepan and when it is bubbling, add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. The onion should be translucent, not browned.
20 g butter, 1 onions
Stir in the rice so it is well coated in the butter. Fry for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine or vermouth and stir until the wine has evaporated.
350 g arborio rice, 150 ml vermouth or white wine
Pour in the hot stock and season with black pepper. Give it all a gentle stir.
1.5 litres fish stock, 1 dash black pepper
Bring the pan to a simmer then cover it with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat down low. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the rice is softened Remember to stir it every few minutes. Add a little more stock if necessary.
When the rice is cooked, stir in the lemon juice, half the zest, and most of the parmesan. Put a lid on and let it rest for 2 - 5 minutes to allow it to go creamy.
2 lemons, 40 g Parmesan cheese
Whilst the risotto is resting, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil for the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the boiling water and blanch them for the following times.Asparagus 2-4 minutes, tender stem broccoli 3-4 minutes, peas 60 - 90 seconds then drain.
300 g green vegetables
Stir the vegetables into the risotto. You can chop the broccoli and asparagus into smaller pieces if you like.
Add the salmon and top with the remaining lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
170 g smoked salmon, 1 dash black pepper, 40 g Parmesan cheese
Notes
Ingredient Notes
Risotto Rice - you need to use special Risotto rice. Arborio is the most popular short-grain risotto rice and is sometimes simply called Risotto Rice. Carnaroli can also be used. It has a plumper larger grain and produces a nice creamy texture.
Smoked Salmon - is widely available and is cured or smoked so doesn't need cooking. It is sometimes called Lox or Hot or BBQ Smoked Salmon.
Fish Stock - use good quality fish stock. As smoked salmon is already quite salty due to the curing process, you might want to use a low salt /sodium version
Parmesan Cheese - which is a traditional ingredient in risotto. It's a hard Italian cheese with a strong, nutty flavour. Buy a block and grate it yourself for the best flavour. Pre-grated parmesan has a blander taste.
Peas - I use peas as they have a nice sweet flavour and I always have some in the freezer. For other vegetable suggestions, see substitutions below.
Lemons - I mention lemons here as fresh lemon juice and zest make this dish. Did you know you can buy Fairtrade lemons in many supermarkets?
White wine - another traditional ingredient in a risotto. It adds flavour and acidity which helps balance out the creaminess. Just a basic dry white wine will do. I buy small bottles that I use for cooking. If you'd rather not use wine, you can leave it out.
Using Salmon Fillets
The exact cooking times will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Salmon fillets are cooked when the flesh is no longer opaque.
Pan Fry - season the salmon fillets. Add some oil or butter to a nonstick pan over high heat. Once the butter is bubbling, add the salmon fillet skin side down and pan fry for 3 minutes. Lower the heat, turn your fillet over, and pan-fry for 2 minutes on the other side.
Oven Bake - Heat the oven to 180°C / 360°F /gas mark 4. Season the fillets and place them in an oven-proof dish. Roast for 10 - 15 minutes until cooked through.
Poach - Place the salmon fillets skin side down in a pan and cover with water. Bring the water to a simmer and poach for 5 - 6 minutes until the salmon is cooked. Don't allow the water to boil as this will make the salmon tough.
Storage
Cool the salmon risotto quickly and store it in the fridge for 2 - 3 days in an airtight container. Leftovers can be eaten cold or you can reheat it once.Risotto doesn't freeze well as the texture becomes grainy.