Risotto

I despise it when there are so many things in the kitchen cupboard but not really something you're in the mood for! Well, last night that was exactly what happened to me! So I opted for cooking some risotto with dill and smoked hake instead of reaching for some quick and easy miso soup and instant noodles.
(Ahhhh... Dill is just one of those herbs that goes perfectly with fish!)

Here is the recipe:

2 Smoked Hake Fillets (any smoked fish will work, actually). Make sure it has been defrosted before adding to the risotto.
400g Risotto rice
1 Litre of vegetable or fish stock (I used Knorr Stock Pots to make the stock)
50g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
A little bit of garlic
150ml white wine
Dill  (I love dill, so I added to my taste)
Chives
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
Some lemon juice
Some Parmesan Cheese
Crème Fraiche

1. Prepare and heat the stock in a pot.
2. In a separate pan, heat the butter, olive oil, garlic and onions. Sautée the onions on low heat until they are translucent.
3. Add the rice to the mixture, covering the rice with the butter and onion. Fry for about two minutes.
4. Add the white wine to the rice and gently stir until most of the wine has evaporated (about 2-3minutes on high heat).
5. Start adding one ladle of the stock to the pan, slowly allowing the rice to simmer (over low heat) in the stock. Stir continuously. Leave to simmer until most of the stock has been absorbed before adding another ladle.
6. After adding the last ladle of stock, place a lid on the rice for at least two minutes, stirring occasionally. I find that this works, because the rice softens quicker before the stock evaporates completely.
7. Remove the lid, tasting if the the rice has cooked through (it should be soft but still a bit chewy). If not, continue stirring until the rice has cooked through and until the last stock has been absorbed.
8. Cut the fish in small chunks. Add to the risotto and allow to simmer on low for 5 minutes.
9. Add a little bit of lemon juice, the diced dill, some finely diced chives and the Parmesan cheese and stir thoroughly. Remove from heat, allowing the flavours to develop for at least 3 minutes.
10. Immediately serve with a dollop of Crème Fraiche and some more dill and salt and pepper to taste.

Here is the result:

I hope this recipe is useful and that you find it as tasty as I did!
Do you have any risotto recipes to share?