Roasted chilli & Goatfish risotto (serves 2)

Thanks to chef Jai Gibbons


Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized goatfish
  • 1 onion (finely diced and offcuts and skin kept for stock)
  • 2 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
  • White wine 1 cup
  • 1 cup of arborio rice
  • 1 stick of celery (cut into chunks)
  • 2 fresh ripe roma tomatoes (diced
  • Basil leaves
  • Dark chilli paste (incas food aji panca brand) 2 tablespoons/to taste
  • 1tsp smoked paprika
  • 80g of butter unsalted
  • 50g parmesan (microplaned/grated fresh)
  • 30ml extra virgin olive oil (finishing)
  • 60ml of olive oil for frying (stock and rice)
  • 20ml veg oil for cooking the fish
  • salt to taste
  • fresh cracked pepper to taste

 

Method

Fish- scale/gut goatfish, pat dry and set aside fillets on a plate skin side up to let the skin dry and let the fish come to room temperature.

Cut the bones/head and fins into chunks and wash the blood out in cold water (change the water a few times) cut the eyeballs and gills out.

Stock- heat 30ml of olive oil in a pot that can hold about 2L of liquid, add the bones and roast them on a moderate heat until golden (keep stirring so the bottom does not burn)

Once the bones are golden and there is a sticky caramelised layer in the bottom of the pot add the onion offcuts, celery and cook until tender, deglaze with ½ cup of white wine and reduce by half, then add 1.5l of water and cook for 1 hour or until the stock is nice and rich in flavour, it should smell like a nice prawn flavour. Strain the stock and set it aside.

Risotto – heat 30ml of olive in medium sized saucepan on a medium heat, add onions, garlic cook until translucent, add seasoning and rice cook until slightly toasted while stirring continuously, add the chilli paste and paprika, cook for 20 seconds. Increase to a high heat, add wine and fresh tomatoes and cook until the moisture has been absorbed. Reduce heat back to medium/low, start adding the warm stock about 150mls at a time stirring occasionally. As the rice absorbs the stock, continue adding stock gradually and continue until rice is cooked through but still al dente (has a slight bite to it). Turn off the heat, add another ladle of stock and let rest with the lid on while you cook the fish.  Finish with butter, parmesan and olive oil, stirring until incorporated. At this point you may need to add a little more stock (or water if you have used all the stock) to loosen the risotto it should slowly spread along the plate as your serve it; like a thick soup, it should not be firm!  Adjust seasoning to your personal taste. Garnish with fish and add basil leaves. Drizzle some olive oil over the top. And add a touch more black pepper.

Fish cooking-  season fish with salt on the skin, heat a cast iron or heavy based pan on a high heat, add cooking oil and let it heat until slightly smoking or shimmering, turn the pan to coat the whole surface, gently place the goatfish into the pan skin side down and press the fish down lightly, let the fish relax and turn the heat down to medium. Once the skin is crisp and slightly golden and about 70% cooked flip the fish over and add about 20g of butter and slowly baste (spoon the butter over the fish skin). After about 20 seconds remove the fish and let it rest for a moment while you finish the risotto and plate it up.