Risotto Con Zucchine E Salmone Recipe

Bring the chicken or vegetable stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and keep it on very low heat so it stays hot but not boiling throughout cooking.

Measure the Pinot Grigio and have it ready beside the stove.

Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves.

Heat 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil in a wide heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not browned, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the Arborio rice to the pan and toast, stirring constantly, for 1.5–2 minutes until the edges of the rice grains become slightly translucent and glossy (do not brown).

Pour in the 120 ml Pinot Grigio and stir continuously until almost completely absorbed by the rice.

Trim the zucchini ends. Cut two of the zucchine into 5 mm (1/4 in) half-moon slices for the risotto. Reserve the third zucchini to make fine ribbons or matchsticks for garnish: use a peeler to make thin ribbons, then halve them lengthwise if too wide.

In a separate skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tbs olive oil. Add the sliced zucchini, a pinch of salt and cook until just tender and lightly golden, about 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Keep the delicate ribbons raw for garnish or quickly toss them in the skillet for 30–60 seconds if you prefer softened ribbons.

Once the wine is absorbed, begin adding the hot stock to the rice one ladle (about 120–150 ml) at a time. Stir frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. After about 10 minutes of simmering and stirring, stir in the cooked zucchini slices.

While the rice cooks, pat the fresh salmon fillet dry, season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Sear the salmon skinless side down for 2–3 minutes until golden, flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until just opaque in the center (it will finish cooking when folded into the risotto). Remove from heat, let rest 2 minutes, then flake into bite-sized pieces.

Tear or roughly slice the cold-smoked salmon into ribbons and set aside.

When the risotto has about 3–4 minutes remaining (rice should be al dente and creamy), fold in the flaked fresh salmon gently so it warms through without breaking up completely, and also add the smoked salmon ribbons. Stir carefully to distribute.

When the rice is tender but still with a slight bite (al dente) and the texture is creamy—about 16–18 minutes total from first ladle—remove the pan from the heat.

Add the 30 g butter, 60 g grated Parmesan, lemon zest and 15 ml lemon juice. Gently fold these into the risotto until melted and combined. If the risotto seems too thick, stir in one more ladle of warm stock to loosen to a creamy consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (start with the 1 tsp listed, but be mindful of the salted cheeses and smoked salmon) and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir in the chopped parsley and finish with a light drizzle (1 tsp) extra virgin olive oil.

Plate the risotto and top with reserved zucchini ribbons (raw or briefly tossed) for freshness and texture. Garnish with a small additional sprinkling of Parmesan and a little extra lemon zest if desired.