Chef Devan Rajkumar's Recipes from 'Mad Love'

Caribbean Risotto with Crispy Salmon

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Marinated Salmon

4 (3-oz) skin-on salmon fillets

1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

Risotto

31/2 cups vegetable stock

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3/4 tsp salt, plus extra to taste

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 Scotch bonnet chili pepper, finely diced

3/4 tsp thyme leaves

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup finely chopped mango

2 tsp finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano- Reggiano

1 tsp butter

Black pepper, to taste

Herb Salad

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 cup sliced scallions, sliced on a bias 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn

1/2 cup finely chopped chives

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp olive oil

Assembly

2 tsp olive oil

Salt, to taste

1–2 tsp Parmigiano-Reggiano Lemon wedges, to serve 

 

Directions:

Marinated Salmon

Place salmon fillets skin side down on a sheet of paper towel–this will ensure the skin stays completely dry. Evenly brush the ginger-garlic paste onto the salmon flesh. Set aside to marinate.

Risotto

Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté for 7 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add garlic, chili pep- per, thyme and allspice and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.

Add rice and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until lightly toasted. Pour in wine and simmer for 7 minutes, or until most of the wine has been absorbed. Ladle in 1/2 cup stock and stir until nearly all the liquid has been ab- sorbed. Repeat until all the stock is used. Add coconut milk and cook for another 2–3 minutes, or until the rice is al dente.

Stir in mango, bell pepper, Parmigiano-Reggiano and butter. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Herb Salad

Meanwhile, combine all ingredients and set aside.

Assembly 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add salmon, skin side down, and season to taste with salt. Gently press on the fillet with a spatula for 30 seconds so the skin maintains contact with the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until skin is golden brown. Turn over and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat and allow salmon to continue cooking in the residual heat for another 1–2 minutes. Set aside until risotto is ready.

Spoon risotto onto individual plates. Top with salmon, crispy skin side up, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add herb salad and serve immediately with lemon wedges. 

 

Grilled Broccolini Chaat

Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 

1 bunch broccolini

11/2 Tbsp grapeseed oil

1 tsp salt

3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup Citrus Vinaigrette

3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup honey goat cheese

1/4 cup Garlic Confit 

1 cup chevdo 
 

Directions: 

Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a gentle boil over medium- high heat. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice water. Add broccolini to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl of ice water and gently stir. After 1 minute, remove to a baking sheet lined with a dish towel to drain.

Preheat a grill pan or BBQ to high heat. Remove dish towel from the baking sheet and drizzle broccolini with oil, then add salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Grill broccolini for 3–4 minutes, turning as necessary to produce char marks. Transfer to the baking sheet and toss with citrus vinaigrette.

Transfer the broccolini to a serving plate, add pomegranate seeds, crumbled honey goat cheese and pieces of garlic confit, and sprinkle with chevdo. 

 

Excerpted from Mad Love: Big Flavors Made to Share, from South Asia to the West Indies–A Cookbook by Devan Rajkumar. Photography by Suech and Beck. Copyright © 2023 by Devan Rajkumar. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.