SMOKED SALMON RISOTTO WITH PEA PESTO

Smoked salmon risotto with pea pesto. A dish that looks pretty, tastes delicious, is healthy and is very easy to make.

Recipe courtesy Mowi

Prep and cooking time; 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Skill level: Easy

Ingredients

4 smoked salmon slices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 finely sliced leek
1 clove of grated garlic
150g arborio risotto rice
splash of white wine
650ml chicken stock
30g toasted pine nuts
15g mascarpone
200g peas
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
20g of chopped fresh dill
Pea shoots and dill sprigs, to serve
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced leek and fry for 5-6 minutes until slightly softened.
• Add the garlic and stir for a couple of minutes before adding the risotto rice. Stir for a few minutes so the rice grains become slightly toasted.
• Add the wine if using and evaporate the liquid until almost none remains.
• Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and start to add the hot chicken stock a little at a time, stirring occasionally until the rice grains are cooked.
• Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the pine nuts, mascarpone, half the defrosted peas, lemon zest and juice, half the dill and ¼ tsp of salt and pepper to a pestle and mortar or food processor. Mash or blend until the mixture is combined but still has some texture.
•  If your rice is cooked, stir through the pesto and the rest of the peas. Add two of the sliced smoked salmon and the rest of the dill and stir well. Season to taste, you may need to add a splash of water to loosen the risotto slightly.

Serve the risotto in bowls topped with the remaining smoked salmon slices, some pea shoots or dill sprigs and lemon wedges on the side

Source