June 9th

Pea Risotto with Baked Dill Salmon

This is my new specialty. After eating out almost every day on vacation, it was so nice to have a healthy home cooked meal. I have been perfecting this one for a while. It is the result of a bunch of different risotto recipes I have been trying out lately with the easiest salmon fillet you have ever made in your life. And since I didn't bring y'all anything back from Colorado, I thought I'd share my recipe. Now the thing you need to know about risotto is that you have to stir it...constantly. This meal takes about 20 mins to make but you will be standing at the stove the entire time stirring. But it is worth it....so worth it.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

3 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups water and 3 bouillon cubes)

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Frozen Salmon Fillets, thawed (walmart sells them individually wrapped in a 4 pack)

salt

dill

3 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven according to salmon package directions. Heat chicken broth in a small saucepan on low. (do not boil) Melt butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion until soft. Add garlic and rice and stir for about a minute to toast the rice. Add wine and stir until the liquid is completely absorbed. Add broth 1 cup at a time stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, boil peas in 4 cups of salted water for 5-10 min. Place salmon in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and dill. Brush with melted butter. Put them in the oven about the time you add your last cup of broth to the rice since they only take about 8 min to cook. Drain peas saving 1 cup of the water. Add peas to rice. Stir. Add parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir. Slowly add pea water until creamy. (you may only need 1/2 cup) Transfer to a bowl and top with salmon fillet. Add a pretty piece of dill from your garden if you've got it. Enjoy!