Recipe #6 - Saffron Chorizo Risotto with Sea Bass
Hi everyone,
I like to cook special meals for my family on Sundays. Today I decided to cook up a recipe from my repertoire: Saffron Chorizo Risotto with Pan Fried Sea Bass. Despite this dish not being traditional to any country, it has Mediterranean influences. I love a good risotto and my recipe incorporates other things I enjoy such as fish and chorizo. The fish I chose today is Sea Bass as it is a personal favourite and was readily available. However, you could try this recipe with other fish provided you cook them appropriately.
To start, heat up some stock (either chicken or beef) and add a pinch of saffron. Let the saffron infuse with the stock as you prepare the other elements of this dish. In a small pan melt half the butter and add the onion. It's important to sweat the onion in a low heat for approximately 10 minutes until it becomes soft. Once that's done add the risotto rice and mix with a wooden spoon. Ensure that every grain of rice has been coated with that lovely butter. It is at this point that white wine is added. I would recommend going for a dry wine as the sweetness can take away from the flavour. Reduce the white wine until it has gone. The tricky part is not burning the rice as it can get stuck at the bottom of the pan so make sure you keep stirring frequently. Once the white wine has reduced add the saffron infused stock one spoonful (from a ladle) at a time. As soon as the stock evaporates add another spoonful until the stock has gone or 25 minutes have passed. Remember to keep tasting around the 20 minute mark. You want the risotto slightly undercooked at this point as it will cook fully when the other ingredients have been incorporated. Once you have reached this stage take the pan off the hob.
Mix in the remaining butter and parmesan cheese to the risotto. It should now start tasting and resembling the world famous dish. While it rests cook the chorizo with a drizzle of oil in a hot pan. Once it starts to release its fat add to the risotto with the garden peas. Mix the risotto well and season to taste. It can get a bit frantic as you will start doing a few tasks simultaneously. If you can't do this at the same time as cooking the risotto then do it beforehand. Now to the fish. Score the skin and season with salt and pepper. Add to the pan with the chorizo oil skin side down. Chuck in a couple of thyme sprigs to favour the oil and a knob of butter. Adding the butter to the oil will ensure the butter is more resistant to heat so it doesn't burn. Cook for approximately 4.5 to 5 minutes skin side down and then flip and cook the meat side for 30 seconds. Add the risotto to a plate and the fish on top, don't forget to get a spoon and add that delicious oil that the fish was cooked on. Just drizzle the oil on the fish skin. Finish by adding flat leaf parsley on top and enjoy!
Recipe
300g Risotto Rice (I prefer Arborio)
80g Butter
1 Onion
100g Parmesan Cheese
150ml White Wine
1.5 litres of Stock (Chicken or Beef)
A Pinch of Saffron
70g Chorizo
70g Garden Peas
4 Fillets of Sea Bass
A few Thyme Sprigs
Flat Leaf Parsley
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1) Heat up some chicken or beef stock and add a pinch of saffron. Keep it simmering.
2) Melt the butter in a small pan and add a finely chopped onion. Cook in a low heat for 10 minutes until it has become soft. Once cooked, add the rice to the pan. Stir well until the rice has been mixed with the onion and butter. Add the white wine and reduce. Remember to keep stirring otherwise it will stick to the bottom.
3) While it is reducing you can start scoring the sea bass. With a sharp knife score the skin and season with salt and pepper.
4) Once the white wine has reduced slowly start adding one ladle of stock at a time. Keep stirring and keep replenishing the stock once it evaporates. Continue doing this for 25 minutes or until the stock runs out.
5) While the risotto cooks heat up a pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add diced chorizo and cook until it begins changing colour, approximately 3-4 minutes. Try not to get the chorizo crispy, not on this recipe! Once it cooks add to a plate with kitchen paper. Don't throw away the oil. You will need it soon.
6) As soon as the risotto is slightly undercooked remove from the hob and add the remaining butter and parmesan cheese. Stir in well. Once you are happy that it has all mixed well add the chorizo and fresh garden peas (frozen are fine as well). Season to taste and let it rest.
7) Make sure the chorizo oil is hot and add a knob of butter and a few thyme sprigs. Then place the sea bass on your pan skin-side down. Press the fish down to the pan with your fingers for 30 seconds, don't be scared. It helps get the skin crispy. Then fry the fish until you can see the meat starting to become bright white. Then flip and cook the meat side for 30 seconds. It total the frying should take you 5-6 minutes maximum.
8) Once that is done plate the risotto and add the fish on top. Make sure you don't serve any of the thyme sprigs. Grab a spoon and pour the lovely oil on top of the fish. Serve with a sprinkle of flat lead parsley on top. Enjoy!
I like to cook special meals for my family on Sundays. Today I decided to cook up a recipe from my repertoire: Saffron Chorizo Risotto with Pan Fried Sea Bass. Despite this dish not being traditional to any country, it has Mediterranean influences. I love a good risotto and my recipe incorporates other things I enjoy such as fish and chorizo. The fish I chose today is Sea Bass as it is a personal favourite and was readily available. However, you could try this recipe with other fish provided you cook them appropriately.
To start, heat up some stock (either chicken or beef) and add a pinch of saffron. Let the saffron infuse with the stock as you prepare the other elements of this dish. In a small pan melt half the butter and add the onion. It's important to sweat the onion in a low heat for approximately 10 minutes until it becomes soft. Once that's done add the risotto rice and mix with a wooden spoon. Ensure that every grain of rice has been coated with that lovely butter. It is at this point that white wine is added. I would recommend going for a dry wine as the sweetness can take away from the flavour. Reduce the white wine until it has gone. The tricky part is not burning the rice as it can get stuck at the bottom of the pan so make sure you keep stirring frequently. Once the white wine has reduced add the saffron infused stock one spoonful (from a ladle) at a time. As soon as the stock evaporates add another spoonful until the stock has gone or 25 minutes have passed. Remember to keep tasting around the 20 minute mark. You want the risotto slightly undercooked at this point as it will cook fully when the other ingredients have been incorporated. Once you have reached this stage take the pan off the hob.
Mix in the remaining butter and parmesan cheese to the risotto. It should now start tasting and resembling the world famous dish. While it rests cook the chorizo with a drizzle of oil in a hot pan. Once it starts to release its fat add to the risotto with the garden peas. Mix the risotto well and season to taste. It can get a bit frantic as you will start doing a few tasks simultaneously. If you can't do this at the same time as cooking the risotto then do it beforehand. Now to the fish. Score the skin and season with salt and pepper. Add to the pan with the chorizo oil skin side down. Chuck in a couple of thyme sprigs to favour the oil and a knob of butter. Adding the butter to the oil will ensure the butter is more resistant to heat so it doesn't burn. Cook for approximately 4.5 to 5 minutes skin side down and then flip and cook the meat side for 30 seconds. Add the risotto to a plate and the fish on top, don't forget to get a spoon and add that delicious oil that the fish was cooked on. Just drizzle the oil on the fish skin. Finish by adding flat leaf parsley on top and enjoy!
Recipe
300g Risotto Rice (I prefer Arborio)
80g Butter
1 Onion
100g Parmesan Cheese
150ml White Wine
1.5 litres of Stock (Chicken or Beef)
A Pinch of Saffron
70g Chorizo
70g Garden Peas
4 Fillets of Sea Bass
A few Thyme Sprigs
Flat Leaf Parsley
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1) Heat up some chicken or beef stock and add a pinch of saffron. Keep it simmering.
2) Melt the butter in a small pan and add a finely chopped onion. Cook in a low heat for 10 minutes until it has become soft. Once cooked, add the rice to the pan. Stir well until the rice has been mixed with the onion and butter. Add the white wine and reduce. Remember to keep stirring otherwise it will stick to the bottom.
3) While it is reducing you can start scoring the sea bass. With a sharp knife score the skin and season with salt and pepper.
4) Once the white wine has reduced slowly start adding one ladle of stock at a time. Keep stirring and keep replenishing the stock once it evaporates. Continue doing this for 25 minutes or until the stock runs out.
5) While the risotto cooks heat up a pan and drizzle with olive oil. Add diced chorizo and cook until it begins changing colour, approximately 3-4 minutes. Try not to get the chorizo crispy, not on this recipe! Once it cooks add to a plate with kitchen paper. Don't throw away the oil. You will need it soon.
6) As soon as the risotto is slightly undercooked remove from the hob and add the remaining butter and parmesan cheese. Stir in well. Once you are happy that it has all mixed well add the chorizo and fresh garden peas (frozen are fine as well). Season to taste and let it rest.
7) Make sure the chorizo oil is hot and add a knob of butter and a few thyme sprigs. Then place the sea bass on your pan skin-side down. Press the fish down to the pan with your fingers for 30 seconds, don't be scared. It helps get the skin crispy. Then fry the fish until you can see the meat starting to become bright white. Then flip and cook the meat side for 30 seconds. It total the frying should take you 5-6 minutes maximum.
8) Once that is done plate the risotto and add the fish on top. Make sure you don't serve any of the thyme sprigs. Grab a spoon and pour the lovely oil on top of the fish. Serve with a sprinkle of flat lead parsley on top. Enjoy!
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