Lightly Smoked Salmon with Fennel and Saffron Risotto

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 x 170g Lightly Smoked Salmon Fillets

30ml Rapeseed Oil

Maldon sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

Risotto

30g Butter

30g Finely chopped shallots

150g Chopped fennel

Pinch of saffron threads

340g Risotto rice

100ml White wine

900ml of vegetable stock

1 Lemon zest and juice

5g Fresh tarragon

Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method              

For the risotto, heat the vegetable stock, add the fennel flavour, reserve some stock.  Heat 30g of butter in a sauté pan, add the shallots and sweat for 3 mins, add rice, stir and cook for 1 min.  Add the white wine & saffron and reduce to a syrup and season.

Add a 1/3^rd of the vegetable & fennel stock, season and stir continuously.  Add the next 1/3^rd of the vegetable & fennel stock and reduce and finally add the remainder of the stock, check seasoning and consistency, finish with the lemon zest, tarragon and lemon juice to taste.

For the lightly smoked salmon, preheat the grill to high, drizzle the oil over the salmon, season the salmon fillets, with black pepper and grill skin side up until cooked right through. This should take about 7-8 mins.

To Serve

Warm 4 bowls, ladle the risotto into warmed bowls, top with salmon fillets.