Risotto with Salmon, Parsley, and Green Onions

Suggested wine: pinot grigio

After a long day of work, sipping a glass of white wine while stirring risotto is relaxing. Ten minutes with a knife and cutting board and twenty minutes at the stove are all you need for this comforting dish. You could even use leftover roast or poached salmon in this risotto. Since the salmon is already cooked, just stir until it is heated through.

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE

• 5 cups Salmon Stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup diced white onion
• 1½ cups Arborio rice (see Cook’s Note)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 salmon fillet (12 ounces), skin and pin bones removed , cut into bite-sized pieces
• ⅓ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion tops
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

In a 2-quart saucepan, bring the stock or broth to a simmer. In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add the wine, let it come to a boil, and then cook, stirring constantly, until most of the wine evaporates.

Add ½ cup of the stock or broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has almost completely absorbed the liquid. Adjust the heat so the risotto is kept at a slow simmer. Repeat, adding ½ cup of the liquid at a time, always stirring until it is almost fully absorbed before adding more. Reserve ¼ cup of the liquid for adding at the end. After about 18 minutes, the rice will be plump, creamy, and cooked through but still slightly chewy. Stir in the salmon, parsley, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup of the stock or broth. Stir gently until the salmon is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the green onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the risotto into warmed shallow bowls and serve immediately.

COOK’S NOTE

Arborio rice is an oval-shaped short-grain white rice high in starch that is traditionally used for risotto. Look in the grain section of your supermarket for Arborio rice. Otherwise, it is readily available at specialty stores carrying Italian foodstuffs.