Eel Risotto
INGREDIENTS
600 ml vegetable, chicken or fish stock
100 g eel
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
100 g risotto rice
125 ml white wine or verjus
10 g parsley
10 g rocket
salt and black pepper
METHOD
1. Place the stock in a small saucepan and slowly bring to simmering point. Meanwhile, trim any skin from the eel. Run your fingers along the fillet to feel for stray bones and cut them away. Chop the fillets into 1cm pieces and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the eel and after 6 minutes add rice to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until the rice is shiny and fragrant.
3. Pour the wine or verjus into the pan and simmer, stirring, until it has evaporated. Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed. Add another ladle of stock and continue stirring and cooking until it too has been absorbed. Repeat this process until all or most of the stock has been used and the rice is al dente - it will take about 17 minutes from the first addition of hot stock to the rice.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in parsley and rocket, so that the leaves only wilt slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
