Sautéed Yellow Perch With Sweet Pea Risotto

by Chef Mark McEwan

This easy dish with lots of flavour is the perfect main course for a special dinner. If perch is unavailable use red snapper. Carnaroli rice is the best type for risotto but arborio rice may be substituted.

Risotto:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
Salt and freshly ground pepper
? teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup carnaroli rice
¼ cup dry white wine
3 to 3 ½ cups warmed chicken stock
1 cup fresh peas
½ teaspoon chopped mint
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon whipping cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Citrus butter:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
Salt and white pepper

Perch:
4 perch fillets (about a pound) cut in half, width-wise
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat 1 tablespoon butter, reserving remainder, in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until translucent. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add rice, stir to coat with butter and sauté for 30 seconds more.

Add white wine and reduce by half. Add ½ cup stock, bring to a gentle simmer and stir until absorbed. Repeat until most of the stock has been added and rice is al dente, about 25 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add peas and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender. Toss with mint and grated lemon rind and season with salt and pepper. Stir peas into risotto along with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, cream, cheese and chives.

Place lemon juice for citrus butter in a small pan over medium-low heat and heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat, add cold butter cubes and swirl aggressively. Season and set aside.

Season perch fillets with salt and pepper.

Place oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet while risotto is cooking. Heat over high heat. Place perch fillets in pan skin-side down. They will instantly start to curl. Once the skin side is golden, about 2 minutes, flip and fry another 2 minutes or until fish is golden and just cooked through. Drizzle lemon juice over fish.

Divide risotto among 4 hot plates and place 2 pieces of perch on each portion of risotto. Drizzle citrus butter around risotto and garnish with herb sprouts if desired.

Wine pairing by Beppi Crosariol:

Simple and straightforward – despite the lengthy ingredients list – and bound to impress. Here’s a recipe that manages to be delicate and substantial all at once. The wine should follow suit. Look for light body but with good flavour concentration, so it won’t get buried under the creamy risotto. A quality Italian Soave or lightly oaked French Chablis would be ideal, as would a pinot gris from Alsace or British Columbia. International choices: Anselmi San Vincenzo from Italy ($16); William Fèvre Chablis Les Champs Royaux from France ($22). Canadian choice: Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris from B.C. ($19).