So rich, cheesy and good! This makes 4-5 servings, and it's good warmed up -- but for one or two people, you probably want to cut this recipe in half.
Ingredients
Sea bass mixture:
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 lb. fresh sea bass, cut into 1-inch chunks
Risotto:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup dry arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 small bulb of fennel, chopped (reserve some of the feathery sprigs on top for garnish)
1/4 cup fresh, Italian parsley leaves, chopped
Salt
Pepper
Cooking - Sea Bass Mixture
- Melt butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and stir until browned and translucent.
- Add asparagus and stir occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until slightly soft but not mushy.
- Add sea bass and carefully stir until the fish is firm and opaque, about 5 minutes.
- Pour mixture into a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to the medium heat for the risotto.
Cooking - Parmesan Risotto
- Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in skillet. Add dry arborio rice and stir for one minute until slightly browned. Add white wine and simmer for another minute.
- Add fennel to the skillet.
- Add chicken stock to pan 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow rice to absorb most of the broth after each 1/2 cup addition (keep stirring and allow about 2-3 minutes between additions).
- After 4 cups of broth and proper stirring and time, risotto will be soft and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and stir in cheese and parsley.
Cooking - Final Steps
- Add sea bass mixture to the risotto and gently stir to combine.
- The sea bass will absorb the risotto liquid quickly -- add in more chicken stock, as needed, to maintain the creamy texture (we used about an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup).
- Warm for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently as needed.
Serving:
Spoon onto plates and top with fennel "leaves" for garnish, and additional salt and pepper as you wish. A crusty bread would make a nice side dish, but you won't need a side dish. I promise no one is going to leave the table hungry.
A Little Backstory:
Cooking compatibility isn't ever on list of relationship needs, but I think it should be. If you're going to share a kitchen with someone, best you have a similar approach. Follow the recipe to the letter, including hunching down to examine the exactitude of the chicken stock in the measuring cup? Sure, I guess -- if that's what you two are into. See the recipe calls for 1 clove of garlic, think it should be 2, but then add four? Totally cool, if you both agree. But kind of a nightmare, I'd imagine, if only one cook in the kitchen likes to color outside the lines. Choose your co-chef wisely.
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