Cod Risotto with Artichokes

I haven't done a risotto in ages.  Frozen cod was on sale, so I bought it without knowing what I was going to do.  This evolved later, and kept evolving while I was in the grocery store.  That doesn't happen much anymore with my meal planning.  It was kind of nice.

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  :)