Cheater’s Risotto with Turbot, Dill and Capers

Here’s how you make awesome seafood risotto:

Buy a whole fish. Get the fishmonger to filet it. Ask him or her to toss the skin but save you the bones and head. Put these flavourful bits in a pot covered with water and bring them to a simmer for 30 minutes. Strain. Eat the fish meat that you were foolishly going to let the guy or gal throw out (don’t forget the tender cheeks), strain the broth and only now discard the bones. If you want to remove the fat, store the broth overnight and remove the top layer in the morning. The gelatinous stuff below is good. If there’s no noticeable fat on top, then use it all.

You could have bought fish stock, but any idiot can boil bones. And it didn’t cost you an extra cent, because you pay for the bones already when you buy the fish. And if you’d just bought the fillet instead of the whole fish, the price per pound would be more, so you’re essentially still paying for the bones, though no one would have even given you the optional of taking them home.

So gather your pride – along with those bones – and make this: a cheaters risotto, which doesn’t call for 30 minutes of stirring. The rice won’t get incredibly creamy, and there’s no cheese (since I tried my dad’s “traditional” cod au gratin in the microwave, I no longer believe in fish with cheese…), but it’s still awesome and rich and satisfying. And okay, fine, you can use vegetable or chicken broth if you’re not up for the whole fish business, but it’s not the same.

Cheater’s Risotto with Turbot, Dill and Capers

Fish:
2 fillets turbot, black cod, Pacific cod or halibut, cut into nugget-size pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cooking oil

Risotto:
1 1/2 cups water (you can do all fish stock, but it makes this very rich)
2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice (or la bomba rice for paella. Even Basmati will do in a pinch, but it’ll be even less creamy)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups fish stock
a small head of broccoli, separated into small florets; stem peeled and chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp caper berries (chopped if you prefer not to nibble whole ones) or small capers
3 tbsp chopped dill

Sprinkle fish with salt and turmeric. Leave in the fridge to dry brine for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours.

Bring the water, rice, salt and pepper to a boil in a large skillet. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Warm the fish stock and add half to the rice. Bring rice back to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 10 more minutes. Add last amount of stock and the broccoli and stir to combine. Add more water if the rice is getting close to sticking to the bottom of the pan. Return to a simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with capers and dill.

Meanwhile, heat the oil for the fish in a large skillet. When hot, add the fish and sear on each side for 1 minute. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low for 2 minutes, or until the fish is just flaking and barely cooked through. It should no longer be translucent.

Serve on top of risotto directly in the skillet.