Samphire and salmon risotto

More samphire! I didn't use up my entire supply in the salad I made, so in it had to go into another marine-themed dish. Why take it out of its natural environment? I'm sure it would perk up pork or beef up beef (sorry), but anything that grows by the ocean would have to be married to fish. It would be a saline match made in heaven.

This particular vegetable would take a particular type of fish: a rich, creamy foil to samphire's snappy saltiness. Luckily, salmon is not only alliterative but is also stocked at my local grocery store. The secret is to add the salmon at the last minute and just barely cook it through so it retains its unctuous texture.

Risotto is one of my favorite dishes. It's simple, easy to make (confession: I don't stand there stirring continuously. Yes, I may be banished from the halls of great risotto-making, but it still tastes pretty good), and is the perfect foil for almost any ingredient you can think of. All you really need is a shallot, some rice, and some wine or stock -- you can even skip the parmesan (though why would you?) -- and it's already a complete dish. But gilding the lily: some fish, some greenery, and a zesting of lemon makes this recipe a big fish in a little pond.

Samphire and salmon risotto

1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 C. arborio rice

2+ C. vegetable stock

8 oz. salmon fillet, cut into small pieces

Approx. 1/2 - 1 C. samphire

1/4 C. grated parmesan

Lemon (juice and zest)

Saute onion until soft. Add garlic and cook gently for a few minutes, then add rice and cook, stirring, for another few minutes. Start to add warm stock, 1/2 C. at a time, waiting between each addition for the rice to absorb the liquid as it cooks. Stir frequently (or just enough).

When the rice is nearly cooked, stir in the salmon with the final addition of liquid and let it just cook through. Add samphire and parmesan at the end, stirring through, and finish with a sprinkling of lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice, and some cracked black pepper.

Serves 2