Take your risotto game to the next level with this flavour combination of smokey trout, charred leeks and crispy garlic chips.

Recipe and Styling Natalie Homan | Photograph Brendan Homan

Smoked trout risotto with charred leeks & garlic chips
serves 2

4 small leeks
1L fish or vegetable stock
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small celery stick, finely chopped
½ onion, finely chopped
150g risotto rice (e.g. carnaroli or arborio)
125ml white wine
1 smoked trout fillet, flaked into bite-sized pieces
60g butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
juice from ½ lemon
sea salt & cracked black pepper

 

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil. Clean the leeks well by splitting the dark green leaves vertically with a knife and flushing any dirt under running water. Add the leeks to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain on paper towel.

Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy-based shallow saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and celery until softened. Add the rice and stir well to coat the rice in the oil. Add the white wine and allow to reduce completely. Add a ladleful of stock, stir, season with salt and pepper and allow the stock to be absorbed before adding another ladle. Continue stirring and adding stock until the rice is cooked but still holding its shape. Check the seasoning, add the flaked trout and a third of the butter, stir through and cover with a lid and allow to rest for 5 minutes. The risotto should be quite soupy at this stage.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the leeks with 1 tbsp olive oil and place on the hot grill, turning until charred and warmed through. Also, heat the remaining butter in a small frypan, adding the garlic slices once the butter begins to foam. Swirling the pan frequently, cook the butter until it is nutty and brown, adding the lemon juice to arrest the cooking.

To serve, uncover the risotto and give it a good stir. Some of the liquid will have been absorbed but it should still be quite wet, add a touch more stock if necessary. Spoon into bowls. Drizzle with the brown butter and garlic. Finish with the leeks and a generous grind of black pepper.

 

This recipe first appeared in the June 2020 issue of SALIFE magazine.