Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Risotto with Wild Alaska Salmon
Ingredients
• 1 x 418g or 2 x 213g cans red or pink Alaska salmon
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into small cubes (about 350g/12oz prepared weight)
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 400g (14oz) risotto rice
• 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 200ml (1/3 pint) dry white wine
• 1.2 litres (2 pints) hot vegetable stock
• 50g (2oz) frozen petit pois or garden peas, thawed
• 4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3-4 sage leaves, torn into pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Sage leaves, to garnish
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan oven 180°C, Gas Mark 6. Drain the salmon, reserving the liquid. Remove any skin and bones, if wished, and break the salmon into large chunks. Cover and set aside.
Put the butternut squash and red pepper into a roasting pan. Sprinkle with half the olive oil and some ground black pepper, tossing to coat. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender, stirring after 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan or saucepan and add the rice. Cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring until the rice looks translucent, but not brown.
Add the leeks and garlic. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring, then add the white wine and let it bubble up for a few moments. Add the reserved salmon liquid and pour in about one third of the hot stock. Stir well, then cook over a medium heat for 20-25 minutes, adding the remaining stock a ladleful at a time as needed, until the rice is tender.
Stir in the peas, Parmesan cheese, roasted butternut squash, pepper and torn sage leaves. Add the salmon chunks, stirring them in gently. Season to taste, then serve, garnished with sage leaves.
Cook’s tip: Once you have added the salmon, there is no need to cook the risotto further – the heat from the rice is enough to warm the salmon through.
