Salmon risotto is a rice dish made with salmon and Arborio rice, along with other ingredients such as fish stock and shallots. The dish is usually flavored with white wine and herbs, including dill and parsley. Regardless of the other ingredients, as long as a dish contains salmon, Arborio rice, and stock, it can be classified as a salmon risotto. The dish can be topped with rocket or fresh spinach leaves to serve.
Arborio rice is a special type of rice used to make risottos. It is shorter and fatter than most grains of rice, and makes a thick mixture when cooked slowly in stock. This mixture is called a risotto, and can be made with any ingredients. The type of stock used in a risotto is generally chosen based on the meat or vegetables which are going into it. For example, if a cook was making a chicken risotto, the best stock to use would be chicken stock.
Rich in omega-3 acids, salmon is a fish eaten around the world. The omega-3 fatty acids help the body's inflammatory reactions and are even thought to increase brain function. Salmon is generally eaten as a fillet, a thick rectangular slab of the fish, but can also be smoked and sold in thin strips. Salmon is used in many different dishes, and its relatively mild flavor makes it a versatile fish for chefs, but is often combined with lemon, parsley, and white wine.
Risotto can be a very difficult dish to cook well, and salmon risotto is no different. The base of the risotto is usually made by frying onions in butter until they have softened, and then adding the rice to the mixture. The rice is fried for a couple of minutes, and then stock is added in small increments; the idea is that the stock should be absorbed as much as possible by the rice. Once this mixture has been cooking for around half an hour, the final ingredients can be added.
Similar to many other fish, salmon doesn't take long to cook. If the fish was added to the bubbling rice mixture when a chef was making a salmon risotto, the fish would likely be over-cooked and dry when served. To combat this, the fish is generally cooked separately for a few minutes, after the rice is ready. Once cooked, the salmon is then added to the risotto just before serving. Dill, parsley, and basil can add more flavor to the dish.
