Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Smoked Haddock Risotto
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
20 minutes
30 minutes
50 minutes
Serves:
Serves 2 as a main (4 as a starter)
Sean created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. Anna Haugh praised the clear smoked-haddock flavour and the al dente asparagus, and the panel admired the well-cooked rice. This Fix-It version keeps those praised elements and corrects the one named fault — a risotto that ran too loose — by meas...
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Ingredients
FOR THE SMOKED HADDOCK & STOCK: Whole milk – 400 ml (to poach the haddock) Bay leaf – 1 Black peppercorns – 4–5 Undyed smoked haddock fillets – 300 g Fish or light chicken stock – 800 ml (approx.; you likely won't use it all)
FOR THE RISOTTO BASE: Unsalted butter – 50 g (half to cook, half cold to finish) Olive oil – 1 tbsp Banana shallot (or small onion) – 1, finely diced Garlic clove – 1, minced Arborio or carnaroli rice – 250 g Dry white wine – 100 ml Parmesan, finely grated – 50 g Lemon – 1 (zest, plus a squeeze of juice)
FOR THE ASPARAGUS: Asparagus spears – 200 g
TO FINISH: Chives or flat-leaf parsley – small handful, chopped Sea salt & black pepper – to taste
EQUIPMENT: Wide, deep pan (for poaching) Heavy-based risotto pan Small pan for the stock Saucepan and a bowl of iced water (for blanching) Ladle Fine grater or microplane Sieve or fine strainer
Method
STEP 1: POACH AND FLAKE THE HADDOCK
Warm the milk with the bay leaf and peppercorns in a wide pan. Slide in the smoked haddock and poach gently for 4–5 minutes until it just flakes. Lift out, discard skin and any bones, and flake into large pieces. Strain and reserve the milk — it is pure flavour, but it is also liquid, so the fish and any milk go in at the very end rather than during cooking, where they would loosen the rice.
STEP 2: BLANCH THE ASPARAGUS SEPARATELY
Trim the woody ends. Blanch the spears in well-salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes until just tender with a little bite, then plunge straight into iced water and drain. This locks in the al dente texture and vivid green colour, and takes the asparagus off the risotto's critical path.
STEP 3: SET UP YOUR STOCK
Keep the stock hot in a separate pan and pre-measure it. Add it one ladle at a time, letting each addition be almost fully absorbed before the next, and stop the moment the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy but still holds a soft mound. You will very likely not need all of it.
STEP 4: BUILD THE BASE
In a heavy pan, sweat the shallot in half the butter and the olive oil over medium-low heat until soft but not coloured, 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the rice, and toast for 1–2 minutes until the grains look glassy at the edges. Pour in the wine and let it cook away almost completely.
STEP 5: COOK THE RICE TO TEXTURE
Add the hot stock gradually as in Step 3, stirring often, for about 16–18 minutes. Judge doneness by tasting a grain and by watching the consistency — not by how many ladles you have used or by the timer. Pull it while the rice still has the faintest bite and the mixture is looser than you want the finished plate, because it will tighten as it rests.
STEP 6: FINISH WITH RESTRAINT (MANTECATURA)
Off the heat, beat in the cold butter and the parmesan for gloss and body. Only if it needs loosening, add a spoonful of the reserved haddock milk — cautiously, a little at a time, tasting as you go.
STEP 7: FOLD IN THE FISH AND ASPARAGUS
Gently fold through the flaked haddock and the blanched asparagus just to warm them, keeping the fish in generous flakes. Finish with the lemon zest, a small squeeze of juice, chopped chives, and black pepper. Taste and adjust salt (smoked haddock and parmesan are both salty, so go carefully).
STEP 8: REST, CHECK THE WAVE, AND PLATE
Rest for one minute, then check the consistency: tilt the pan and the risotto should spread slowly to a soft edge — the Italian all'onda (“wave”) — and settle, not run to the rim. Too loose: return to low heat briefly to tighten. Too tight: loosen with a spoonful of hot stock. Serve at once in warm bowls.
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Instructions
FOR THE SMOKED HADDOCK & STOCK:
Whole milk – 400 ml (to poach the haddock)
Bay leaf – 1
Black peppercorns – 4–5
Undyed smoked haddock fillets – 300 g
Fish or light chicken stock – 800 ml (approx.; you likely won't use it all)
FOR THE RISOTTO BASE:
Unsalted butter – 50 g (half to cook, half cold to finish)
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Banana shallot (or small onion) – 1, finely diced
Garlic clove – 1, minced
Arborio or carnaroli rice – 250 g
Dry white wine – 100 ml
Parmesan, finely grated – 50 g
Lemon – 1 (zest, plus a squeeze of juice)
FOR THE ASPARAGUS:
Asparagus spears – 200 g
TO FINISH:
Chives or flat-leaf parsley – small handful, chopped
Sea salt & black pepper – to taste
EQUIPMENT:
Wide, deep pan (for poaching)
Heavy-based risotto pan
Small pan for the stock
Saucepan and a bowl of iced water (for blanching)
Ladle
Fine grater or microplane
Sieve or fine strainer
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: POACH AND FLAKE THE HADDOCK
Warm the milk with the bay leaf and peppercorns in a wide pan. Slide in the smoked haddock and poach gently for 4–5 minutes until it just flakes. Lift out, discard skin and any bones, and flake into large pieces. Strain and reserve the milk — it is pure flavour, but it is also liquid, so the fish and any milk go in at the very end rather than during cooking, where they would loosen the rice.
STEP 2: BLANCH THE ASPARAGUS SEPARATELY
Trim the woody ends. Blanch the spears in well-salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes until just tender with a little bite, then plunge straight into iced water and drain. This locks in the al dente texture and vivid green colour, and takes the asparagus off the risotto's critical path.
STEP 3: SET UP YOUR STOCK
Keep the stock hot in a separate pan and pre-measure it. Add it one ladle at a time, letting each addition be almost fully absorbed before the next, and stop the moment the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy but still holds a soft mound. You will very likely not need all of it.
STEP 4: BUILD THE BASE
In a heavy pan, sweat the shallot in half the butter and the olive oil over medium-low heat until soft but not coloured, 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the rice, and toast for 1–2 minutes until the grains look glassy at the edges. Pour in the wine and let it cook away almost completely.
STEP 5: COOK THE RICE TO TEXTURE
Add the hot stock gradually as in Step 3, stirring often, for about 16–18 minutes. Judge doneness by tasting a grain and by watching the consistency — not by how many ladles you have used or by the timer. Pull it while the rice still has the faintest bite and the mixture is looser than you want the finished plate, because it will tighten as it rests.
STEP 6: FINISH WITH RESTRAINT (MANTECATURA)
Off the heat, beat in the cold butter and the parmesan for gloss and body. Only if it needs loosening, add a spoonful of the reserved haddock milk — cautiously, a little at a time, tasting as you go.
STEP 7: FOLD IN THE FISH AND ASPARAGUS
Gently fold through the flaked haddock and the blanched asparagus just to warm them, keeping the fish in generous flakes. Finish with the lemon zest, a small squeeze of juice, chopped chives, and black pepper. Taste and adjust salt (smoked haddock and parmesan are both salty, so go carefully).
STEP 8: REST, CHECK THE WAVE, AND PLATE
Rest for one minute, then check the consistency: tilt the pan and the risotto should spread slowly to a soft edge — the Italian all'onda (“wave”) — and settle, not run to the rim. Too loose: return to low heat briefly to tighten. Too tight: loosen with a spoonful of hot stock. Serve at once in warm bowls.
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