Salmon Risotto Recipe by Chef Rob Ratcliffe

Crispy Skin Chinook Salmon, Beetroot Risotto
Mascarpone, Horseradish, Dill

For the Beetroot Puree

• 2 large beetroot
• 5L water
• 500ml red wine vinegar
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1T black peppercorns
• 3T salt

Method

• Place the beetroot on a large pan and cover with the water and vinegar. Make sure the beetroot are completely submerged otherwise they will not cook evenly
• Add the thyme, peppercorns and salt. Bring the water to a boil and turn down to a simmer. The beets will take about 3 hours to cook. Be careful to not cook them for too long otherwise the beets   will go from a beautiful bright purple to a dull brown
• Once cooked let the beets cool down in the liquid. Peel the beets. Dice one beet to put into your final dish and blend the rest, including any trim, with some of the liquid used to boil. Be careful not to make the puree too wet as this will affect the risotto in the end

For the Mascarpone

• 500ml whipping cream
• 20ml lemon juice

Method

• Place the whipping cream in a saucepan and slowly bring to 86 degrees. Use a thermometer as the exact temperature is very important
• Once it has reached 86 pull off the stove and place on the side to let it come back down to room temperature. Once it is room temperature add the lemon juice and place the whole pan in the fridge for 12 hours
• The next day hang the cream in cheesecloth over a bowl to catch the whey. Make sure you tie up the cheesecloth as it should not touch the bow

Also be sure to read Chef Rob’s feature in Islander Reel’s latest article, “Elevate Your Cooking with Executive Chef Rob Ratcliffe from The West Coast Fishing Club”.