There was a lot of variation in the recipes I researched. The vegetables were different in all of them, and the sauces ranged from a tomato base to lemon to pesto. I ended up striking out on my own. Pretty much all agreed that the fish should be cooked separately for a better presentation. I was going to stir it in with the vegetables for the last 10 minutes.
As long as I was getting another pan dirty, I decided to cook the lemon slices in it first. They didn't get as caramelized as I had hoped, but that probably had more to do with me being hungry and not waiting long enough. They did flavor the margarine when I added the fish afterwards.
1 Tb olive oil
*1 leek or 4 green onions, sliced
*2 ribs celery, diced
*1 tsp dill weed
*1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1 C risotto
1/2 C white wine (or broth)
3-4 C vegetable broth
1 large carrot, diced
*4 oz frozen artichokes, defrosted and quartered
1 Tb margarine
4 cod fillets
*1 lemon, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
*grated parmesan for topping
1. In a small saucepan, bring broth to a simmer and keep over low heat.
2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onions, celery, dill, tarragon, and salt and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add risotto and toast for 2 minutes.3. Add wine (or 1/2 C broth) and allow the rice to absorb it. Most of the alcohol will also cook off. Begin ladling in 1/2 C broth at a time, stirring it into the rice and allowing most of it to absorb before adding again. It's going to take about 5 minutes per ladle.
4. When you have stirred in 2 C of broth, add the carrot and artichokes. They will cool down the mixture, so give it a few minutes before adding more broth.5. Somewhere between 3 and 4 cups, the rice will be cooked and creamy. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat while you prepare the fish.
6. In a large skillet, melt margarine over medium-high. If desired, place lemon slices in skillet and cook 5 minutes on each side to caramelize. This can overlap with the end of the risotto. I moved my cooked slices to sit on the rice while I made the fish.7. Place filets in skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until outside is crispy and middle is opaque, about 6 minutes per side depending on thickness.8. Spoon risotto into plates or bowls. Top with cod and a slice or two of lemon. Sprinkle with parmesan, if desired. Serve hot.
Difficulty rating :)