Title: Risotto Con Pesce Gatto E Erba Cipollina (L A
Categories: Italian, Rice, Fish
Yield: 4 servings
1/2 Lemon, juice of
1 Celery rib, chopped
1/2 Carrot, chopped
1/2 Head fennel, chopped
1 3/4 lb Catfish fillets
Fish or vegetable stock
5 tb Unsalted butter
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
Salt, pepper
1 Cipollotto (wild onion or
-green onion) finely chopped
9 oz Vialone Nano rice-see recipe
2 tb White wine
2 tb Chopped chives
(Another recipe from Del Pescatore, along the banks of the Oglio
River and in the small village of Runate, Italy. This is one of the
house specialties, risotto made with wild onions and catfish.) MR
Antonio Santini is adamant about using Vialone Nano rice for this
dish, but arborito will work almost as well. If you can find those
little onions that look like scallions but have very rounded bulbs
(cipollotti), use those for a more assertive onion flavor and cut
the final amount of chives in half.
In pot bring 4 cups water to boil with lemon, celery, carrot and
fennel. Reduce to simmer and add catfish. Cook at bare simmer
until just flaking, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove fish from
poaching liquid. Reserve poaching liquid, adding enough fish stock
or water to make 5 cups. Keep at boil for cooking risotto.
While fish is poaching, melt 2 tb butter over med. heat in skillet.
Add onion and cook slowly, stirring, until onion is very tender.
When onion is tender, add fish and cook several minutes more.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool. When fish is cool,
chop coarsely.
In separate saute pan, cook wild onion in 1 tb butter over medium
heat with dash salt and 2 tb water. When water evaporates, add rice
and cook cook several minutes, until rice makes a dry "singing"
sound when stirred. Add 1 cup boiling stock and cook, stirring
until almost all stock is absorbed by rice. Repeat, 1 cup at time,
until rice is creamy and still bit chalky to bite, about 15
minutes. Add fish, wine and chives and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
When rice is cooked al dente, add remaining butter and stir
vigorously so mixture becomes creamier. Rice should have a slightly
soupy consistency.
Each serving contains about: 648 calories; 260 mg sodium;
131 mg cholesterol; 22 g fat; 75 g carbs; 38 g protein; 2.6 g fiber.
