crispy spiced salmon with caramelized onion risotto
I will continue to eat comfort food even when it is 89 degrees out.
I may have mentioned this before, but my memory is ass so I’m going to bring it up again: cooked foods are much kinder to my digestion. I love a good summer salad but my intestines and gut don’t always love it back. Hence, another reason I thrive in the fall, even if it’s atmospherically theoretical: comfort dishes work well for my tummy.
Bonus for one-pot dishes like this one. Although longer in process, this salmon and risotto skillet is bomb for weekly meal prep, for Sunday supper, and for Thanksgiving – in fact, he’ll be on my menu this year! Hearty, smoky, richly flavored thanks to the cider-braised onions, and all in all simple to make. The hardest part is the patience required for both cooking down the onions and softening up the rice.
I assure you, though, as with all of my other salmon and risotto combos, you will not regret the extra toil involved here. The dish just pops in your mouth with all sorts of depth and texture.
I’ve been saving this one since JULY, folks.
Well, not the literal leftovers. That’s just asking for salmonella.
Uncle Salm
The seasonings for my salmon are pretty much akin to my summertime barbecue blend, except I add some cinnamon for a subtly autumnal twist.
As always, pat your salmon filets very dry with paper towels before you start. My best practice is to cover them up with towels as I start laundry and get distracted for 15 minutes. Then, toss together your brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, garlic and onion powders, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Remove the towels and rub the salmon filets all over with the spices. Aw yeah.
Heat some oil in your skillet over medium and sear the salmon for 4-5 minutes skin-side down (or, the side the skin would be), then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. The fish will release easily when it’s properly done. Move onto a plate.
Onion Breath
Next, the longest part of the recipe: caramelized onions. Yes, they are a labor of love. Yes, they are 100% worth it.
Melt some butter in that same skillet you used for the fish (give it a wipe down with a layer of paper towels first if it looks real black. Some crusties are okay though!), then stir in lots of finely sliced onions, salt, and pepper. In 5 minute increments, pour in apple cider. Vegetable broth and white wine are all acceptable here, but I love cider in the fall.
Plus I generally have a massive fucking jug of it in my fridge that I’m desperate to use up.
I got a good browning in my onions by about 25 minutes into cooking, but if you need more time, just add more cider in the same increments as directed above. Once you reach that sweet point of near-doneness, throw in a helping of bourbon and simmer one last time. You can skip this part or use more cider, but the bourbon elevates the onions a whole other rung.
Risotto with Riz
I HATE the expression “riz” but my god it worked so well in that heading. I’m ashamed. Don’t look at me. It’s not like I could’ve written Charisotto with Charisma.
Okay, anywho. Leave the onions in the skillet and stir in some short-grain rice: think arborio, sushi, or Valencia short grain. Toast for a couple minutes, then we’re gonna do a similar process with the incremental broth addition as we did with the onions. Pour in 1 cup of broth in 5 minute increments until the rice is soft and tender.
You may need to adjust your heat levels intermittently to ensure the liquid doesn’t boil too fast. The more managed the simmer is, the shorter it’ll take for the rice to cook, and the more flavor you’ll embed in the dish.
Finish with a hit of heavy cream and parmesan cheese, and taste for salt and pepper. I like to snug my salmon filets back into the risotto to let them reheat a tad before serving.
Suggestions? A hearty fall harvest salad, roasted squash or sweet potatoes, and a crisp sauvignon blanc. That is a well-rounded meal, my friends.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
My risotto collection:
One Pot Smoky BBQ Salmon and Pea Risotto
One Skillet Crispy Salmon and Asparagus with Lemon Risotto
Pumpkin Risotto with Herb Butter Mushrooms
Jerk Salmon with Creamy Corn Risotto
crispy spiced salmon with caramelized onion risotto
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb salmon
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- heaping 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1/3 cup bourbon (or more cider)
- 1 1/2 cups short-grain rice
- 4-5 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Pat the salmon filets very dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, toss together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Thoroughly rub both sides of the salmon filets with the spice mix.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Sear the salmon filets skin-side down for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook 3-4 minutes longer until crisp and browned. Move to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the butter in the same skillet, then stir in the onions and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Every 5 minutes, stir in 1/4 cup of cider. You may need an additional 1/4-1/2 cup of cider. When the cider is used up and the onions are golden and becoming jammy, stir in the bourbon and simmer a final 5 minutes. The whole process may take 30-35 minutes.
- When the onions are caramelized, stir in the rice and toast for 2-3 minutes, then pour in 1 cup of broth. Bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup of broth every 5 minutes, monitoring the heat level to ensure the liquid doesn't boil down too quickly. The rice should be soft in 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Nestle the salmon filets into the risotto and heat gently until warmed through. Serve!
