DIRECTIONS
Risotto:
In a heavy-bottom pan, melt butter over medium heat. Meanwhile, keep the chicken or vegetable stock hot in a pan on another burner. Add leeks and shallots and sauté until soft, around 3 – 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the wine and stir until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Raise the heat to medium-high and add one cup of heated stock to the rice. Stir frequently until the broth is absorbed. Repeat this process until you have used all the broth, making sure the broth is absorbed before each addition. The rice will be al denté and creamy. Stir in the parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice at the end. This is best when served immediately. Alternately, you could cover it and set it aside until you are ready to use it. You may need to stir in a little additional liquid over low heat if you feel it has thickened too much during this time.
Tilefish:
Mix the zest, garlic, and herbs into the breadcrumbs. Portion the fish and dip the top side in the egg wash, and then into the breadcrumbs. You don’t need to bread or coat the entire piece of fish, just the top. Set the fish aside.
Heat a small amount of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pan. Put the fish, coated side down in the pan. Make sure there is a little room between the pieces so they brown rather than steam. After the breadcrumbs have browned and it has formed a crust, remove the fish from the pan and place on a baking sheet. Transfer to a 400-degree oven and bake until the fish is cooked through. (This took about 5-7 minutes for us and will vary depending on the thickness of the fish you use.)
All that is left to do it build your plate! We started with the risotto and nestled the fish on top.