1 unit(s)
Courgette
(May contain traces of: Celery)
1 unit(s)
Leek
1 unit(s)
Garlic Clove
1 bunch(es)
Chives
½ unit(s)
Lemon
20 grams
Vegetable Stock Paste
2 unit(s)
Sea Bass Fillets
(Contains: Fish)
175 grams
Risotto Rice
40 grams
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains: Milk, Egg)
450 milliliter(s)
Water
30 grams
Butter
Preheat your oven to 200°C, fill and boil your kettle. Trim the courgette then halve lengthways. Thinly slice widthways. Trim the root and the dark green leafy part from the leek. Halve lengthways then thinly slice into half moons about 1cm thick. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Pout the boiling water into a measuring jug (see ingredient list for amount) and stir in the stock powder. Set aside for later.
Meanwhile, heat a glug of oil in a large ovenproof saucepan on high heat. Tip: If you don't have an ovenproof pan, just cook in a normal saucepan then transfer to an ovenproof dish before the risotto goes in the oven. Add the leek to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 3-4 mins, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whilst leek cooks, zest the lemon and cut into quarters. Snip the chives.
Stir in the risotto rice then add the the stock. Stir and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid (or seal it with foil). TIP: Transfer to an ovenproof dish, cover with a lid or foil at this point if your pan isn't ovenproof. Pop on the middle shelf of your oven and bake until the rice is tender, 20-25 mins. Whilst the risotto is in the oven, Heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan, When hot, add the courgette and cook until brown, 5 mins. Remove from the pan and pop on a plate for later.
Meanwhile, 6 mins before the risotto is done, pop the pan back on the heat, add a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Once hot, carefully place your sea bass into the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 mins before turning over and cooking for 2-3 mins on the other side. TIP: To get crispy skin on the fish, don't move it around when it's cooking skin-side down. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw fish. The fish is cooked when opaque in the middle. Add a squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle over half the chives, in the last minute of cooking. Remove the pan from the heat.
Once cooked, carefully remove the risotto from the oven. Stir in the cooked courgettes, lemon zest, squeeze of half the lemon juice, the grated Italian cheese and the remaining chives into the risotto. Stir in the butter (see ingredients for amount). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of water too if it's a little dry.
Divide the risotto between plates, and top with the sea bass. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over. Enjoy!