Beetroot Risotto with Grilled Mackerel

Another educational day at college resulted in a really delicious and vibrant healthy dish I simply had to share. Preparing the fish as shown in the video below, does not need to be messy and is really easy when you know how! Buying whole fish from the supermarket or fish monger means you can use the bones for stock and pay a little less for the privilege of self preparation. Not only does fish provide as much protein as meat, oily fish like mackerel contains vitamins A, D and Omega 3 essential for healthy joints and useful for weight loss.
Quality points include bright, unclouded eyes, bright gills and firm flesh in which pressing impressions disappear. No bruising, abrasions or bad smells should be apparent when choosing your fishy!


Grilled Mackerel and Beetroot Risotto

Ingredients

1 Filleted Mackerel.
60g Risotto rice
20ml White wine
60g Beetroot
10g Parmesan
15g Crème Fraiche
Knob of butter.


Fillet the Mackerel.

Descale the fish with the back of a knife into a sink, scraping from the head to the tail.
Place the knife in the hole under the belly and cut towards the head up to the fins.
Gut the fish using a finger to pull the innards out. Turn the fish onto one side. Go in at a diagonal angle just after the fin towards the head turn the knife and lay flat along the spine. Run the knife along the central bones which are soft. You should have a fillet. Repeat on the other side. Neaten the edges and run under cold water to clean up. Pat dry, cut scores into the skin side and rub with a little oil and seasoning.
For a slightly less fussy approach see the following link. Fin & Flounder

Grill the fish for around 5 mins on an oiled tray, skin side up until the fish has curled and the skin is crispy.

For the Risotto

Dice the beetroot and roast in a hot oven.
Finely dice the onion and fry until translucent but not browned.
Add the rice and fry for one minute until it begins to make a cracking sound. Add the white wine and reduce.
Add the vegetable stock in small quantities and stir continuously until all is absorbed.
Repeat until the rice is cooked but retains some bite.
Add the roasted beetroot, crème fraiche and Parmesan. A knob of butter at this stage lets the grains relax and creates a glossy finish.
The risotto must be moist and should not sit neatly in a shape, but should drop from the spoon and sit in a little risotto heap of deliciousness!

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