Description
Baked Halibut with Spring Pea Risotto. Add Spanish-style chorizo for spice and complexity or keep it light and lean, and leave it off. A delicious spring-inspired dinner!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb halibut (or sub black cod, sea bass, salmon, or even seared scallops or prawns)
- Zest of lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
Spring Pea Risotto:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups chopped leeks (rinsed), or sub one onion
- 1 cup Aborio rice
- 1/2 cup White wine
- 4–5 Cups hot stock ( chicken or veggie)
- 1/4 cup finely diced Spanish Style “cured” chorizo (optional, if you leave this out, you will need to add salt)
- 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 Lemon (zest and juice)
- salt and pepper to taste
Pea Sauce
- 2 cups Fresh Peas (divided) ( or use frozen, thawed)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Mint
- 1/2 cup Fresh Italian parsley or basil
- squeeze lemon juice
Garnish: mint, lemon zest, truffle oil and pea shoots (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat over to 400F.
- Prep Fish: Cut fish into four 4 oz portions. Place in roasting pan lined with parchment paper and generously drizzle with olive oil, making sure both sides are well coated. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon zest from one lemon. Set aside (or marinate overnight like this, in the fridge).
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Make Risotto: In a heavy bottom pot or dutch oven, sauté leeks in oil and butter on med heat, until tender, about 7 -10 minutes. Turn heat to low and add arborio rice and optional Spanish chorizo. Stir about 1 min. Add white wine. Simmer on low until the wine has been absorbed. Add a cup of hot chicken stock, and stir periodically, adding a cup at a time, until each cup is absorbed ( about 25-30 minutes).
- While tending to the risotto, make the spring pea puree at the same time.
- Spring Pea Puree: Blanch 2 cups fresh peas in 1 quart boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes. They are done with they float! Strain and immediately immerse in ice-cold water to stop them from overcooking and losing their vibrant green color. Set aside. Place 1 cup of the blanched peas save the other cup), mint, parsley, a squeeze of lemon, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down sides a couple of times. Set aside.
- When you are about to add your last cup of stock to the risotto, place the fish in the hot oven, and bake 8-12 minutes, depending on how thick of a cut you have.
- Finish the risotto: When the risotto is tender, gently fold in the spring pea puree just as you are ready to serve ( in order to keep its vibrant color – don’t cook it! ). Stir in the grated cheese, lemon zest, and remaining 1 cup whole blanched peas. You want it to be slightly loose, so add stock if needed. Taste, adjust salt pepper and lemon, adding more to taste.
- Divide pea risotto among plates, top with the halibut, garnish with optional pea shoots, a drizzle of truffle oil, lemon zest and/or mint.
Notes
If you leave out the chorizo, make sure to salt the risotto a little more. 🙂
Nutrition
- Serving Size: -without out chorizo
- Calories: 593
- Sugar: 10.7 g
- Sodium: 813.4 mg
- Fat: 32.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 4.3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 67 mg
Keywords: halibut with pea risotto, pea risotto with halibut,