A spring-inspired recipe featuring a broiled salmon fillet with lemon butter and a fennel and radish risotto. Jump to recipe.
I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. If I have any, they are either very specific – put up that shelf in the office – or too central to who I am – like, stop being annoying at parties (a lifelong dream I’m pretty sure I’ll just never fulfill). It’s not a super productive strategy for change. But in the spring it all gets real. The newness, the actual rebirth of life, is inspiring stuff. Against the backdrop of vibrant blooms and newly green trees, I do my best introspection.
Lately, that introspection has tended toward self doubt. Sometimes it feels like the whole point of the internet is to convince us all that we are absolutely, positively doing it wrong. And when you add parenthood into the mix, there is no question – I’m definitely doing it wrong. Falling into this category is everything from bringing up a weighty subject I’m not sure my seven year old was ready to know about (TMI is kind of my thing. See above: annoying at parties.) to repeatedly losing my temper on a recent vacation.
I always strive to embrace making mistakes and learning from them. It’s how we get better. But it’s hard to overlook the perfection served a million different ways online. One of the things that keeps me going, though, is you. Because I’m pretty sure you’re not perfect either. And I want you to feel good about it. So I’m here with my tiny blip of imperfection and doubt, in a sea of assured flawlessness. There are a few voices that also resonate with me, expressing the realness of their own worlds, how they make hard decisions, or just a refreshing willingness to embrace the unknown – Melissa of The Fauxmartha and Erin Loechner come to mind. Who else do you turn to for real life on the internet? Let’s make a list.
Last week, Brian and I made this broiled salmon with a spring vegetable risotto. And it fits well with the theme of embracing mistakes. You may have noticed that the word broiled doesn’t sync well with salmon placed on parchment. You’re right. Because parchment? It’s flammable. We were out of foil and really, crazy tired. Mistakes were made. Luckily, we pulled the salmon just before the paper ignited. Line your pan with foil, people. Disaster averted, this recipe pairs a simply prepared salmon fillet, with a bright, buttery risotto dotted with spring’s earliest treasures: green onions, pearl onions, radishes, and fennel. Lemon, butter, and lots of green bits abound. Good, simple food for heady times.
A spring-inspired recipe featuring a broiled salmon fillet with lemon butter and a fennel and radish risotto.
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided
- 1 cup halved white pearl onions
- 1 large bulb fennel with greens
- 1 1/2 cups white Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water , or more as needed
- 1 bunch radishes , trimmed and halved or quartered
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 green onions , sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons minced green onions , plus several flowers and stalks for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large salmon fillet (2 - 2 1/2 pounds, about 1-inch thick), pin bones removed
- lemon wedges for serving
- green onions with their flowers and fennel fronds for garnish
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Cut fennel bulb into thin slices. Mince 1/2 cup fennel greens and reserve. Reserve several fronds for garnish.
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Heat a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and add onions. Cook until onions are translucent and supple, 7 minutes. Add fennel bulb slices, and, stirring often, sauté 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook 4 - 5 minutes more, stirring often to make sure rice does not brown.
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Meanwhile, bring broth and water to a boil. Toss halved radishes into hot broth. Off heat and set aside. After 5 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove radishes from broth and set aside.
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Pour white wine over rice and vegetable mixture. Stirring often, cook until all of the wine is absorbed. Add 1 - 2 cups broth – enough to just cover rice. Adjust heat so mixture bubbles vigorously. Stir occasionally. Add a generous pinch or two each sea salt and pepper. As broth cooks down, continue adding broth in 1/2 - 1 cup increments and stirring occasionally.
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Toward the end of cook time (25 - 30 minutes total), keep a close eye for rice sticking to the bottom of the pan or burning. Lower heat as needed. Taste rice for doneness, and add sea salt and pepper to taste. The last of the broth should be added very slowly – add enough that rice is nicely cooked, but not enough that risotto becomes soupy.
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When rice is tender, with just a bit of bite at the center, remove from heat. Fold in remaining tablespoon butter, blanched radishes, Parmesan, green onions, reserved minced fennel fronds, and lemon juice. Add sea salt to taste.
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Set broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
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In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in lemon zest and juice, green onions, sea salt, and pepper.
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Brush salmon fillet with half of the lemon butter. Slide under broiler and cook 5 - 8 minutes. (Our fillet cooked through in 8 minutes, thicker fillets might take longer.) Salmon is ready when the flesh is just opaque and flakes nicely. Remove salmon from hot baking sheet immediately, drizzle with remaining butter, slice with a sharp knife, and serve nestled atop a pile of hot risotto with a lemon wedge and green onion and fennel garnishes.
This. looks. amazing. I’ve never been so dazzled by a piece of salmon. Gorgeous pictures. And congratulations on being a finalist!
Awww, thanks S Lauren! Glad you like the images!
Oh wow, this sounds (and looks!) delicious. Will definitely have to make this for an upcoming Sunday supper. Thanks!
Glad to hear it, Kate! Thanks for dropping by.
I agree with S Lauren! That really is beautiful looking salmon!
Thanks Tory!
I love real talk from bloggers — even if it’s couched with pretty pictures. It’s easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing (my latest is feeling like I’m not traveling enough — my Instagram feed is depressing me!). But when you look closely, you find that there is joy to be found in our imperfections and the chaos of day-to-day life.
I agree completely, Kasey. We all have our own set of ways the internet can make us feel lacking. Vacations are a big one for me too. Here’s to more honesty online. I really feel like the tide is starting to turn, I’m so bored with so-called aspirational everything. Give me the real stuff any day.
Ha, I loved that picture of the salmon on parchment and thought wow I should start using more parchment… Maybe not! Thanks for being vulnerable, it’s true I worry about my Pinterest obsession! Everything is always a tableau and life with 2 wee ones is anything but. I’ve never thought you were annoying at parties btw, probably bc I’m much more so but otherwise parties can be boring! Zest! It’s what adds the spark to living, burned parchment and all!
Elizabeth, Salmon, fennel and radish.. sign me up:)
I’d like to add Grace Bonney to your list of real voices on the internet. I love her sweet honesty and thoughtful words.
And huge congrats on the Saveur front. I hope you win!!!
xoxo
E
Beautiful photos, Elizabeth… this recipe looks wonderful.
Kitchen fails, I have them all the time, but I feel like food bloggers aren’t supposed to, right? I sometimes think I have no idea what I am doing, haha. This looks a beautiful meal, I would never have thought it was almost on fire!
I’m bored with the aspirational. Well, the aspirational that is all about living a pinterest-y life.
I’ve told you this before but I love reading here because I read about “you”. Of of course the yummy recipes are a huge bonus but there’s a real person behind the camera and the words. It’s so much more than a regular churn of post after post after recipe after recipe and on and on.
I read fewer blogs but the ones I do read are the ones where I feel like I know the person.
And that’s the reason I keep coming back here. Because you present who you are. Of course, the food is always stunning… but I connect to every element. There are ups and downs in life… and it’s ok to be open about those experiences. Oh, how I could go on and on about this. If only we were close enough to each other to grab a drink and chat about it. 🙂
I’ve been reading a lot of Erin’s posts lately too. I probably say this too much, but thank you for inspiring me greatly and also making me feel normal. To do those at the same time is a gift. On Instagram I like to follow Melanie Burke. She keeps it real. She’s also super grateful, something I seem to be deficient in lately.
Oh, we were playing wirh fennel too last week and my dearest also made a risotto! What a funny coincidence! Fennel can be too strong for some people, but he managed to have it really tasty and interesting. Looking forward to more recipes from your site!
You may not be perfect, but that salmon looks pretty damn close. As far as keeping it real, I love The Yellow House, and Lottie and Doof and Amelia from Bon Appetempt, oh also, the ladies over at Dinner was Delicious–so funny. So excited for your Saveur nomination!