Trout, Dill and Goats Cheese Risotto

The plan here is to make a fish stock to use for the risotto. This avoids any unfriendly ingredients in the packet stuff. If you're short on time, find a FODMAP-friendly fish stock and then bake the trout in the oven at the same time as cooking the rice.

Also, leek tips are apparently fine for FODMAPs – just avoid the white parts*

Serves 2

2 trout fillets, skin on and deboned

2 Tbsp garlic infused oil

4 spring onions, green parts only

4 bay leaves

1 cup Aborio rice, washed and dried**

1 leek, green tip only, finely sliced*

1/3 cup dry white wine

Handful of baby spinach, washed

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

1 tsp lemon rind

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp shaved parmesan

80g goats cheese or fetta, torn

Fresh dill sprigs and lemon wedges, to serve

Preheat an oven to 165C. Line a baking tray with foil. Place the trout on the foil and drizzle garlic oil all over, then sprinkle a little salt. Cover tray with foil and seal to minimise steam loss. Bake in the oven for 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Once cooked, carefully unwrap the fish and remove from the baking tray. If there are any juices in the pan, pour these into a small bowl and keep for later. Remove the skin from the trout and flake flesh into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Place trout skin, spring onions and bay leaves in a pot and cover with 750ml water. Cover pot and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.

Heat a frypan over medium heat with a little oil. Add leek tips and cook until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring, until glassy.  Reduce heat to low. Add white wine and stir until the liquid has almost been absorbed.  Add ¼ cup stock liquid at a time to the rice and cook, always stirring, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. Cook like this for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is tender but firm to the bite. You should use about 2½ cups liquid in total. If you run out, switch to hot water.

Once rice is cooked, add the juices from the trout, dill, lemon rind, lemon juice and parmesan. Adjust the flavours as desired and season to taste. Then, add the spinach and cook, stirring until wilted. Fold through trout and goats cheese.

Serve in bowls with lemon wedges and topped with extra dill.

* Monash University studies show that the green tips are low in FODMAPs. I found making this recipe that I may have cut a bit much into the whiter parts of the leek and that triggered some symptoms for me. If you can’t find super green leeks or don’t want to risk it, simply omit and substitute with your favourite onion-alternative (such as spring onion tips)

** Wash the rice right at the start and set it aside to dry while you prep everything else.