A great light alternative to the traditional risotto. This vegetable and cod risotto recipe doesn’t need cream, it’s light and healthy, lemony, and stuffed with great little flavours. It’s easy to make and people will love it as either a starter or main - it’s the perfect fish risotto recipe!

Cod Risotto Recipe

Prep Time: 30 Mins

Cook Time: 30 Mins

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • Cod Fillets - 2

  • Butter - 25g (plus a little extra to cook the cod in)

  • Leeks - 1 medium or 3 baby (sliced)

  • Carrots - 3 medium (diced)

  • Fine Beans - 1 handful (sliced)

  • Garlic - 2 cloves ( 1 tsp of garlic paste)

  • Risotto Rice (Aroborio, Carnaroli, Vialone) - 250g

  • White Wine - 1 large glass

  • Vegetable Stock Pots - 2 pots (or 3 cubes)

  • Cheese (greyer, manchego, etc) - 120g (grated)

Method

Cod Risotto Step One - Veggie Base

Add to a pan the butter, leeks, carrots, fine beans, and a little seasoning.

Cook over a low to medium heat until browned (around 10 mins), then add the garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Whilst the veg is cooking, in another pan start to boil 1 litre of water with the stock cubes. Adjust the heat to hold the stock at a gentle sinner.

 

Cod Risotto Step Two - Rice Time

Once the vegetables are browned, add the risotto rice to the pan. stir the rice through to coat in butter.

raise the heat of the pan, and once it’s sizzling, add the white wine, cook for another 1 to 2 minutes for it to start to reduce.

 

Cod Risotto STEP Three - The Balancing Act

Now it’s time for the bit people refer to as ‘challenging’ when making risotto - it’s not - it’s just a bit of balancing.

You have to keep an eye on 3 things:

  1. The temperate of the stock (keep at a gentle simmer);

  2. The temperature of the risotto (also keep at a gentle simmer); and

  3. The amount of water in the risotto (just enough to cover the rice).

Start by pouring a ladle of the stock into the risotto, gentle stir the risotto until this extra water starts to absorb (about a minute), then add another ladle, and keep repeating this process until the rice is cooked.

Make sure the risotto’s not on too high a heat, a test of the ideal temperature is that it should start to bubble after 2-3 seconds if you stop stirring.

 

Cod Risotto STEP Four - When it’s Done, It’s Done

You can keep tasting the rice to see when it’s done (it’ll take about 20 to 30 minutes), but as it approaches being cooked you’ll also notice a slight change in consistency - the risotto mix will thicken.

When it does this and the rice tastes cooked but has a very small bit of bite left, stir in the grated cheese, then put a lid on the pan and take off the heat.

 

Cod Risotto STEP Five - Cooking the Cod

Whist the risotto’s resting, heat a pan with a little olive oil and butter.

Cook the cod on a low to medium heat until cooked through and browned on the edges.

 

Cod Risotto STEP SIX - Cod Risotto

Cod and Vegtable Risotto

As the cod’s approaching being done, bring the risotto back to heat over a low flame

Place the risotto in the bowls, and top with the cod.

And that’s in, hope you enjoy!