appetite magazine
Pan-fried halibut with basil pesto risotto and crispy prosciutto
 
 
Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 slices prosciutto
  • 2 halibut fillets
  • 2 knobs butter
  • sea salt and pepper
  • For the pesto
  • 60g basil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 50g pine nuts gently toasted for 2-3 mins
  • 150ml good olive oil
  • juice of about ¼ lemon
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • For the risotto
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 200g arborio rice
  • 600ml chicken stock (keep it in a pan just under boiling as you’re cooking the risotto)
  • 30g parmesan
Method
  1. Add all the pesto ingredients to a blender and whiz until smooth. Dry fry the prosciutto in a pan, using the base of another pan to keep it flat, for 1-2 mins. Set aside on kitchen paper to crisp up.
  2. To make the risotto, gently sweat off the shallots and garlic in a little olive oil in a pan then add the rice and stir for 2 mins until the rice turns slightly opaque. Start adding the chicken stock one ladleful at a time. Keep stirring to make sure you get a creamy rich finish, and adding more stock when each ladleful is almost absorbed. Cook until the rice is just under done and then stir in 2tbsp parmesan and half the pesto and stir.
  3. Season the halibut with a little sea salt and fry skin side down in a little oil until it is cooked ½ to ¾ of the way through. Turn the heat down to finish the cooking, dropping in a couple of knobs of butter and basting the fish until it’s done. Let the fish rest, then ladle the risotto into 2 bowls. Top with the fish, the crispy prosciutto, a little pesto and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.
Recipe by appetite magazine at https://www.appetitemag.co.uk/pan-fried-halibut-with-basil-pesto-risotto-and-crispy-prosciutto/