The last time I made risotto was when I first came to Switzerland – it was a recipe that was strictly from memory; my Swiss Italian housemate in Australia made it and I watched. The outcome then was only average; while the taste was there, the rice was slightly undercook and there was just not enough of that cheesy flavour.

This time around, I decided to make it flavourful even though I was using smoked salmon as an added ingredient. Risotto can usually be eaten on its own and is traditionally made with Italian sausage or mushrooms but I thought to add this in since we have heaps of smoked tuna (gifts from the in-laws). I added a mix of two cheeses – Gruyère and Granna Padano (a lighter version of parmigiana cheese) – and a few strands of saffron for colour and flavour.

The result? Perfection, really. Not exactly traditional but good enough for a non-Italian cook! At least Nil loved it! 🙂

Smoked tuna risotto

Ingredients

Five handfuls arborio rice
Beef stock (at least 1 litres)
150 gms (or more) smoked tuna – thinly sliced
1.5 cups cheese
4 strands saffron
1 medium-sized onion – diced
6 tbsp Cointreau (or white wine)
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. In a pot, boil the beef stock (or water + beef stock cube) with the strands of saffron and allow to simmer gently.
2. In another pot, saute the diced onions in the butter and oil on a medium-high fire until soft but not brown. Add in the rice and stir until the grains are translucent. Add in the Cointreau or white wine and stir.
3. Gradually add in the beef stock-saffron mix while stirring constantly. Keep the mixture simmering and add more beef stock when necessary. The rice will absorb the stock as it cooks.
4. Cook for 20 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the stock.
5. Remove from the heat, and add in the cheese, tuna and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well and serve immediately.