Christmas and New Year just wouldn’t feel festive without a hefty dose of cheese; it is the time to indulge after all. But we’re not just talking cheeseboards and chutneys. Between all the turkey leftovers and meaty meals of the Christmas period, it’s good to have an alternative recipe up your sleeve for when you’re hosting, and this delicious salmon risotto made with the finest Grana Padano Riserva cheese is guaranteed to please.
An artisanal cheese that hails from northern Italy, where it’s matured for a minimum of nine months and up to over two years, Grana Padano is tasty and protein-packed. Choose from three different vintages depending on the flavour you’re after: the delicate and milky Grana Padano that’s aged for between nine and 16 months; the stronger yet not overpowering Grana Padano, matured over 16 months; or, as suggested for this recipe, the Grana Padano Riserva, a fragrant and more intense cheese that’s matured for over 20 months.
Cheese connoisseurs will love it on its own or grated over pasta, but here’s how to use it in cooking for a gluten-free risotto that’s ideal for entertaining guests over the party season.
Ingredients
320g Carnaroli rice
500g fresh salmon
100g Grana Padano Riserva, grated
1l vegetable stock
1 glass white wine
50g butter
1 leek
1/2 tsp turmeric
Lemon thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Method
Fry the chopped leek in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, add the rice and toast it for a few minutes.
Add the white wine and leave it to evaporate, then add the chopped salmon and a few sprigs of lemon thyme.
Continue cooking for 15 minutes while adding ladles of boiling broth as it absorbs, stirring carefully and continuously adding to it so that it doesn’t dry out.
When the risotto is cooked, add the turmeric, stirring it into the risotto over a low heat.
Stir in a knob of butter and the grated Grana Padano Riserva.
Serve the risotto nice and hot, with plenty of shavings of Grana Padano on the side.
This recipe was created by Grana Padano and has not been triple-tested by Good Housekeeping.
Treat yourself and your guests to Grana Padano this Christmas - and head to the website for more delicious, cheesy recipes.
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