Divine John Dory Risotto

Method

1. Fillet the John Dory fish: remove the innards, then fillet it carefully, keeping the skin intact. Remove the skin by hand. Reserve the fillets in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the broth: Cut the fish carcass into large pieces, remove the gills and any blood. Rinse well. Place in a large pot with 2 liters of water, 20g of salt, 100ml of dry white wine, one stalk of celery, one carrot, one onion, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprig of thyme, two bay leaves, one garlic clove, pepper, a few juniper berries, and a sprig of parsley. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate for 12 hours.
3. Reheat the broth: After resting, bring the broth to a boil again and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Strain and set aside.
4. Cook the fish fillet: In a pan, melt a knob of butter with a little olive oil over low heat. Add two anchovy fillets and let them dissolve. Add the John Dory fillet, season with salt, and cook on both sides. Add a splash of white wine and let the alcohol evaporate. Add finely chopped leek (about 30g) and two ladles of broth. Cook until the leek is soft and the sauce is creamy. Remove the fish from the pan and cut it into pieces (some larger, some smaller). Reserve the cooking juices.
5. Toast the rice: In a separate pan, dry-toast 360g of Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Start the risotto: Quickly add a splash of white wine to the rice, then add the reserved cooking juices from the fish. Immediately add 4 ladles of hot fish broth. Stir and continue cooking, adding more broth as needed, for about two-thirds of the total cooking time (based on package instructions).
7. Two minutes before the end of cooking, add the fish pieces. Continue cooking, adding broth as needed to keep the risotto creamy and moving, stirring occasionally (mantecatura al salto).
8. Finish the risotto: Remove from heat. Add 25g of cold butter and chopped parsley. Stir vigorously (mantecatura) to create a creamy, airy texture. Cover and let rest for 2 minutes.
9. Serve the risotto immediately, decorated with a few capers on top.