Spring Pea Risotto with Halibut, Spanish Chorizo and Mint

By polloazul

Ingredients

• 1 lb fish (White fish like black cod, bass, halibut, or even seared scallops or prawns)
• 2 1/2 C chopped leeks
• 1 C Aborio rice
• 1/2 C White wine
• 4-5 C hot stock ( chicken or veggie)
• 1/4 C finely diced Spanish cured chorizo ( if you leave this out, you will need to add salt)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T butter
• 1/3 C grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 Lemons ( zest and juice)
• 2 C Blanch Fresh Peas ( 1 cup use whole and 1 cup use for pea puree)
• 1/4 C Fresh Mint
• 1/4 C Fresh Italian parsley or basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• pea shoots (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

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 over night like that in the fridge). When risotto is almost done, place fish in a hot 400F oven and bake 6-8 minutes depending how thick your cut is. (If using scallops, no need to marinate, just pat dry, salt and pepper and pan-sear on hot oiled skillet.)

Risotto Prep:
Blanch 2 C fresh peas in 1 quart boiling salted water ( with 1T salt) for 2 minutes. They should float. Strain and immediately immerse in cold water to stop them from over cooking and loosing their color. Set aside.

Risotto:
In heavy bottom pot saute leeks in 2 T oil and 1 T butter on med heat, until tender, about 7 minutes. Turn heat to low and add aborio rice and chorizo. Stir about 1 min. Add 1/2 C white wine. Let simmer on low until the wine has been absorbed. Add a cup of hot chicken stock, and stir periodically. While risotto is cooking, make pea puree. Once stock has been absorbed, add another cup. Repeat this process until rice is tender but slightly firm ( about 20-30 minutes) and mixture is loose. While tending to the risotto, make your pea puree

Pea puree:
Place All the ingredients in a food processor and blend till smooth, scrapping down sides a couple times.

1 C blanched peas
1 T lemon Juice
2 T olive oil
1/4 C stock (room temp...not hot)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C packed mint leaves
1/4 C packed Italian parsley or basil leaves




When you are about to add your last cup of stock to the risotto, place the fish in the hot oven, and bake 6-8 minutes, depending on how thick of a cut you have.

When risotto is perfectly cooked to your liking, add grated cheese, lemon zest, and 1 C whole blanched peas. Turn heat off. Gently fold in pea puree.

Place fish on a bed of risotto, garnishing with pea shoots, lemon zest and or mint.