Smoked Mackerel & Lemon Risotto With Salad

Boil a kettle

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix in 750ml [975ml] [1.4L] boiled water

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a large drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the diced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-6 min or until softened but not browned

Once the onion has softened, stir your arborio rice into the pan, making sure the grains of rice are coated in oil

Add your Chinese rice wine and cook for a further 30 secs or until it has evaporated

Reduce the heat to medium-low

Add 1/3 of the vegetable stock and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it has absorbed into the rice

Continue to add the remaining vegetable stock, a ladle at a time, stirring more or less continuously for 25-30 min, until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is cooked – this is your risotto

While the risotto is cooking, cut the lemon[s] in half

Peel the skin off your smoked mackerel fillet[s] and discard

Tear the smoked mackerel into small, rough pieces (watch out for small bones!)

Once all the stock has been absorbed, add the smoked mackerel pieces with a knob of butter to the pan

Continue to cook until all of the butter is melted and the risotto is creamy

Once done, remove the pan from the heat and stir in your soft cheese and the juice of half your lemon[s] into the risotto

Season very generously with pepper (use much more than you normally would!) – this is your smoked mackerel & lemon risotto

Cut the remaining lemon into 1 wedge per person

Wash your salad, then gently pat dry with kitchen paper