Salt Cod Risotto

History & Background

Baccalà mantecato is a Veneto gastronomic heritage since the 16th century, when Venetian ships brought stockfish from Norway. Re-read in risotto form, it keeps the original dish's creamy soul.

Ingredients for 4

• 320g Vialone Nano rice
• 400g ready-made Vicenza baccalà mantecato (or 300g rehydrated stockfish)
• 1 white onion
• ½ glass white wine
• 1L light fish stock or vegetable broth
• 50g cold butter
• Chopped parsley
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, white pepper

Method

1. Sweat the chopped onion with oil.
2. Toast the rice and deglaze with wine.
3. Add hot broth for 14 minutes.
4. Fold in half the baccalà mantecato halfway through.
5. At the end, off the heat, fold in cold butter, the remaining baccalà and parsley.
6. Adjust salt only at the end (baccalà is already savoury).
7. Serve with a grinding of white pepper.
8. Optionally, accompany with toasted polenta.

Wine pairing

Soave Classico DOC or Lessini Durello: saline, mineral Veronese whites.

Common mistakes

• Using poorly rehydrated stockfish: stays woody and hard to digest.
• Adding Parmigiano: completely betrays the dish.
• Overcooking the baccalà in the rice: breaks down, loses texture.