A delicate salmon risotto with an alcoholic twist: you can make it with either brandy or vodka, but if you really want to spoil yourself, use half a bottle of champagne and drink the rest as aperitif!

What you need (for four people) :

350 gr. rice
200 gr. smoked wild salmon
1 lt vegetable broth
olive oil
salt
pepper
½ onion
50-60 gr. butter
a glass brandy or vodka

How you do it:

Heat the butter in a thick-bottomed pan. Stir in the chopped onion and the rice until well crispy. Wet with the spirit and let evaporate. In the meantime prepare a light broth using vegetable cubes and/or carrots, tomatoes, celery, and one potato. Chop the salmon in thin stripes.

To make the risotto: add the hot broth, ladle by ladle having the patience to wait for the liquid to be absorbed while you keep stirring vigorously. When it is nearly done – taste it until you get the right texture! – adjust the seasoning. Switch off the heat and throw in the salmon. It is important that you add the salmon at the very last, and leave the risotto 'stew' for a few minutes off the heat, otherwise you risk losing all the flavour from the fish. And, as I mentioned before (http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/threemon_article3.php?id=88), < a href="http://www.threemonkeysonline.com/threemon_article3.php?id=88" target="_blank">the best smoked salmon out there is the Irish one, with its delicate and full-mouthy decisive flavour.

You may add a small quantity of freshly chopped flat parsley before serving.