I came up with this during my first attempt to make risotto. I read that it has to be simmered slowly in a shallow pan, adding liquid every so often and stirring, so that was the basis of this dish. I also read somewhere about poaching in white wine, so I decided to use the same wine for the salmon and the risotto, using wine and water instead of broth.
Ingredients
- 4-6 salmon fillets
- 1 bottle of dry white wine (I used one that I didn’t particularly like drinking)
- water
- 1 onion, diced
- spinach
- about 2 cups of short-grain rice
- artichoke (optional), diced
- oil
Directions
Salmon
Place salmon fillets in a large saucepan and fill partially with wine and partially with water so that the salmon is completely submerged. Use the proportions of wine to water depending on the desired taste. If you want the wine taste to be more subtle, use more water. If you want a stronger wine taste, use more wine. I used about 2/3 wine and 1/3 water. Cook on medium-high heat until salmon is cooked all the way through.
Risotto
Start with the onion and some oil in a large saucepan until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and stir well until it is lightly coated in the oil. Add wine and water to submerge the rice, but don’t overdo it on the wine – this step will need to be repeated a lot. Keep stirring frequently to make sure the rice does not stick or burn. When the liquid has evaporated, add more to submerge the rice. Continue stirring and adding liquids until the rice almost cooked. Don’t overcook it, but make sure it is not crunchy. Cut up a few handfuls of spinach and add to the rice, stirring it in. Also add the diced artichoke, if desired, and continue stirring. When the rice is soft and the spinach is wilted, the risotto is done.
