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If I see red fish, I have to grab it.

Red mullet or scorpion fish do not provide a large amount of fillet, but the iodine stored in the skin exudes an aroma that is only known from crustaceans.

That is why every head and every bone is boiled out and the aromatic juice is given to the rice to soak up.

The first artichokes that are now available from southern Europe go well with this.

They are simply fried and may still have a bite, because then their taste is best.

These are the ingredients

400 g scorpion fish or red mullet


1 large, mild onion


2–3 red peppers


1 teaspoon fennel seed


1 bay leaf


4 artichokes


1 lemon


160 g risotto rice


white wine


1 pinch of saffron


olive oil


50 g butter cubes

The dragon's head is a real eye-catcher: This is what the ingredients look like

Source: Robin Kranz

And this is how it is prepared

Scale and fillet fish, but keep the bones and heads (the fishmonger may do the former).

Peel the onion and roughly cut half of it.

Quarter the peppers, remove the seeds and stalk and also cut roughly.

Sweat the onions and peppers in olive oil until translucent, add the fennel seeds and deglaze with a generous sip of white wine.

Add the fish heads, the bones, salt, pepper and the bay leaf and cover with plenty of water.

Let it simmer gently for at least half an hour.

Meanwhile, squeeze the lemons into a bowl of cold water.

From the artichokes all around, starting from the bottom, the petals break off, to the pale light green leaves.

Peel the stem with a small knife until the fiberless core appears.

Cut off the pointed purple part, cut the artichoke in half and scrape out the hay.

Place the artichoke bases in the lemon water until you are ready to use them.

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For the risotto, put the saffron in a glass and pour a little hot water over it.

Finely dice the remaining onion and sauté in olive oil until colorless, add the rice, sauté also briefly, then deglaze with a glass of white wine, add the saffron.

Keep adding the fish stock with a ladle.

I don't even pass through the entire stock, but instead scoop the stock through a tea strainer directly into the rice.

Let it soak gently on a low flame.

Remove the artichokes from the water and drain well.

First fry in olive oil on the cutting edge until they have turned color, then turn over and continue frying.

Salt, pepper and deglaze with three to four tablespoons of water and cook briefly, covered.

As soon as the water in the pan has evaporated, move the artichokes aside and add the fish skin-side down into the pan.

Season the risotto with salt and pepper, stir in the butter cubes and place on preheated plates.

Turn the fish over again and serve with the artichokes on the risotto.

Wine tip from Manfred Klimek

Artichoke, fish and also the taste of crustaceans?

I get a wine from the cellar that is as unique as many of Volker Hobl's dishes, the white wine cuvée “Ograde” 2018 by Sandi Skerk from the Karst around Trieste.

In the cuvée: Vitovska, Malvasia, Sauvignon and Pinot grigio, two rather unknown and two popular grape varieties.

Fermented spontaneously!

Without sewage!

Unfiltered!

On the nose the fresh inner skin of a chestnut peel, moist mushroom base, little paprika, little corn and herbs.

Constantly changing in the mouth, weighty, an enormous number of levels of taste - not to mention the salt in the soil.

For 25.60 euros at weingrube.com