A hearty fragrant salmon risotto, with sneaky vegetables and bright sunny lemon. Inspired by the salmon risotto recipe from Zelda, Breath of the Wild.
This salmon risotto is so delightful. The touch of lemon makes it a bright and sunny dish, the dill adds flavour, and the butter and parmesan make it super creamy. Give it a try!
Did you know salmon is only found in Breath of the Wild in the Tabantha Frontier and the Hebra Mountains? Makes sense right? – They’re described as being a hearty and fatty fish, so it’s no wonder they’re not lounging around Lurelin Village. To be honest, I’ve never found them anywhere beyond that little pond outside Rito Village. If I needed a salmon, I’d just warp into Rito Village and throw a bomb into the pool. Now I’m curious to explore the Hebra Mountains more carefully, looking for salmon in the cold rivers and lakes.
In Tears of the Kingdom, salmon appears to be even more rare than in Breath of the Wild. The only place I’ve found salmon so far is when I accidentally ended up in a fight with a bear whilst looking for the more northern Glyph in Hebra, and the bear dropped a salmon once defeated.
Salmon Risotto in Zelda Breath of the Wild: Salmon, Rice, Butter and Salt
Salmon is a featured fish in Breath of the Wild, required for the Salmon Meunière Shrine Quest. This quest is a pretty basic one, just like the cooking side quest for Koko in Kakariko Village, but it’s very memorable. The little birdies are also very cute, though they are a little annoying sometimes. Also – you get a prize part way through this quest! Does that entice you? Just a hint, it’s a fishy dish (what a surprise).
Before we get started, a few tips about making risotto:
1. Don’t wash the rice for this recipe.
Arborio rice is usually used for risotto, and the starch in the rice is what gives risotto its thickness. If you wash the rice, the starch will dissipate.
2. If you don’t want to use wine, broth is just fine.
You can totally replace the wine with equal parts broth! This recipe also contains lemon juice, so it already has an acid, which is usually what the wine is for. Wine in any risotto recipe can be replaced with more broth and a little lemon juice or white vinegar.
3. The broth must be piping hot when added to the risotto for the best result.
When incorporating the broth into the rice, allow the rice the time it needs to absorb the liquid – this step can’t be rushed or the risotto will not turn out quite right.
The secret to a good risotto is to keep on stirring the rice so the starches are released. You don’t have to stir it constantly the entire time, but don’t walk away and leave it completely unattended.
4. Do not skip step 11.
It is essential to mix the risotto vigorously at the end over the residual heat of the stove burner once it’s turned off. This is the step that makes it extra creamy.
Salmon Risotto
Creamy and fragrant salmon risotto, ready in about 60 minutes. This delicious dish serves approx. 4 people.
Ingredients
- 200-300 grams salmon – this could be a fresh fillet, tinned salmon, or smoked salmon
- 4 -5 cups vegetable broth, or as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced (4-6 cloves)
- ½ cup zucchini, coarsely grated
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine – Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Sauvignon are great options
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 2-3 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh dill (or 1 ½ tsp dried dill)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Tools
- small frying pan
- large saucepan
- cutting board
- knife
- cooking spoon
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- zester
- garlic mincer
- graters
- kitchen scissors (for herbs)
Instructions
1. Prepare the ingredients:
- Grate the zucchini
- Mince the garlic
- Dice the onion
- Zest and juice the lemon
- Grate the cheese
- Chop the herbs
- Measure out the seasonings and rice
2. Prepare the salmon:
Fry or poach the salmon in a small pan over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes.
Remove the skin if desired.
Flake the salmon, checking for bones, then set aside.
If using smoked or canned salmon, all you need to do is check for bones, then flake it.
3. Heat the broth in a pot over medium-high heat. The broth should be boiling when added to the rice.
4. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and garlic and stir.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the grated zucchini and continue to sauté, about 3-5 minutes.
6. Add the arborio rice and sauté until it begins to crackle and turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the wine, lemon juice, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.
8. One ladle-full at a time, incorporate the boiling hot broth into the frying pan of rice while stirring constantly. Allow the rice to absorb the broth liquid before adding the next ladle-full. This process of consistent stirring and adding broth should last about 20 minutes.
9. Add in the butter, peas, grated cheese and (cooked) salmon.
10. Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the heated burner. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes over the residual heat of the stove burner that you just turned off.
11. Top with fresh herbs and salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
A Fine Dish Full of Fish
This salmon risotto was hearty and delicious. I served this with roasted butternut squash, which paired beautifully with the creamy fragrant risotto. It also keeps well and the leftovers tasted just as delicious the next day.
Also you can’t even tell there is zucchini in it. I’m actually surprised there isn’t anything resembling a zucchini in Breath of the Wild. It really would be the perfect sneaky undetectable stealth vegetable. Perfect for an elixir worthy of infiltrating the Yiga Hideout and retrieving the Thunderhelm!
Did you try to make this recipe? Let me know!
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