Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto

This seared salmon with lemon risotto is an elegant main course perfect for entertaining or if you are spending date night at home. A creamy risotto and a crispy seared salmon fillet, all coming together with plenty of lemon, parsley and black pepper.

Pan searing is such a great way to cook salmon. The exterior gets all crisp whilst the inside remains soft, tender and melt in the mouth.

My top tips for searing salmon.

• Use a non-stick pan. It really does make all the difference. You can get a crisp exterior without the worry and stress of your salmon sticking.
• Lightly oil the salmon, this will make it easier to crisp it up, without filling your kitchen with the smell of smoking oil.
• Season your salmon lightly with salt, but don’t add any pepper as the heat of the fry pan will burn the spice.
• Remove the salmon from the fridge for at least 15 minutes before you want to cook it. This ensures it isn’t cold when it goes into the pan. making it less likely to stick and also keeping the cooking time down.

Making risotto isn’t as scary as many people think. It is a relaxing job of stirring. For my essential tips for making risotto check out my simple risotto post.

But as a recap:

• Risotto doesn’t need cream, the creamy texture comes from the frequent stirring of the rice and the beating in of butter at the end of the cooking time.
• When you leave your risotto to rest, make sure you take the pan off the hob (even after it is switched off) the residual heat of the hob can easily spoil your risotto.
• The quality of your risotto comes from the quality of your stock, use the best you can.

Enjoy x

p.s If you are looking a seared salmon recipe but don’t want to make a risotto, try our Seared Salmon with Peas and Chorizo. It is so bright and colourful but so simple to make.

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Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto

This seared salmon with lemon risotto is an elegant main course perfect for entertaining or if you are spending date night at home. A creamy risotto and a crispy seared salmon fillet, all coming together with plenty of lemon, parsley and black pepper.

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 671 kcal

Author Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts

Ingredients

You can change the measurement from US to metric at the bottom of this list

For the risotto

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 cups arborio risotto rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cups hot vegetable/fish/shrimp stock see notes

For the salmon

• 4 fillets salmon I prefer skin off for this dish
• salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil

To finish and serve

• 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp butter
• Freshly chopped parsley
• black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the risotto

1. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan or skillet.
3. Add the garlic and onion and sauté over a medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened but not colored.
4. Turn heat up to high, add in the rice and stir until the grains look almost glassy.
5. Add wine and cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
6. Turn heat down to medium low. Add 1/2 cup of stock and stir slowly until absorbed.
7. Repeat until you have used 3 1/2 cups of stock.
8. Check the rice, it should be cooked through but still firm rather than stodgy and almost cooked.
9. Remove the rice from the heat whilst you cook the salmon.

To cook the salmon.

1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan.
2. Season the salmon generously with salt.
3. Cook the salmon for 3 minutes then turn and cook for a further 3 minutes.
4. Remove from the pan and tent with foil whilst you finish the risotto.

To finish and serve

1. Once the salmon is cooked. Add the remaining stock to the risotto and stir over a gentle heat.

2. Add in the butter, and the juice and zest of 2 lemons.

3. Stir vigorously to create a luscious creamy risotto.
4. Spoon out the risotto and top with the cooked salmon, plenty of fresh parsley and a good grinding of black pepper.

Recipe Notes

The quality of your stock really dictate the quality of your risotto. If I have it I liked to used homemade shrimp stock, but a good quality store bought vegetable stock will work.

Nutrition Facts

Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 671 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 26g 40%

Saturated Fat 8g 40%

Cholesterol 116mg 39%

Sodium 1095mg 46%

Potassium 1032mg 29%

Total Carbohydrates 62g 21%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 5g

Protein 38g 76%

Vitamin A 16.7%

Vitamin C 44.9%

Calcium 4.9%

Iron 24.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Seared Salmon with Lemon Risotto Anecdote
(aka my recipe ramble for those who love the waffle)

So do you remember how I once told you risotto was my solitary treat? My family are just not convinced of it merits!

WELL GUESS WHAT!!!!

Turns out my farther-in-law loves risotto, but doesn’t get it because my MIL doesn’t. SO when they were visiting over Christmas I served it a few times as a side dish. Along with potatoes or this pasta for everyone else. And a funny thing happened, slowly the small serving I made stopped serving my FIL and I!!! As everyone else started trying it and eating it. So whilst I wouldn’t say it was their favorite dish risotto is now a family friendly recipe! WOO! Seriously this is massive people! Before this I would only make it when we had guests over and even then as a side dish with alternatives.

Happy dances around the kitchen and comforting oozy risotto in my future….expect plenty more risotto recipes soon. (although I find it hard to photograph as it doesn’t sit well!)

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