The Best Risotto With Scallops

Risotto is a great versatile dish that is delicious year-round. This version was served in Summer, when fresh snow pea greens and asparagus were in season. The creamy risotto paired well with oven roasted asparagus and seared scallops, and the snow pea greens give it a nice fresh pop.

Risotto with Pan Seared Scallops, Asparagus and Snow Pea Greens

Risotto: Recipe below

Oven roasted asparagus: Instructions below

Pan Seared Scallops: Instructions below

Snow Pea Greens: As needed

Heavy Cream: As needed

Grated Parmesan Cheese: As needed

Butter: As needed

Kosher Salt: To taste

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper: To taste

Olive oil Blend: As needed

Directions:

1. In a pan, heat up about 1/3 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of butter.
2. Add about a cup of risotto to the mixture and cook on medium heat until it becomes creamy. Finish with grated parmesan, chopped roasted asparagus and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Top with pan seared scallops and pea shoots

Risotto

Garlic and Shallot Confit: Recipe Below

2 Cups Arborio Rice

1 Cup White Wine

4 Cups Chicken Stock: Recipe below

Olive oil blend: As needed

Directions:

1. In a pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer
2. In a large pan, heat up some oil along with some garlic and shallot confit.
3. Add the arborio rice to the pan and toast in the pan until some of the rice grains turn white, about 5-7 minutes.
4. On medium-high heat, add the white wine to the rice. Stir until the wine has been absorbed into the rice.
5. In increments, add the chicken stock to the rice and stir until it is absorbed, about one cup at a time, until the rice has cooked but still has some bite to it, about 20-35 minutes
6. Remove from the heat and transfer to a flat tray to cool evenly

Oven Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus: As needed

Olive oil blend

Salt and pepper: To taste

Parchment paper: As needed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. On a cutting board, cut off the tough bottoms of the asparagus
3. Lightly toss with oil, salt and pepper and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper
4. Bake in the oven until soft, about 10-15 minutes
5. Remove from the tray and let cool

Pan Seared Scallops

Scallops, Fresh or completely thawed from frozen, patted dry

Olive oil blend: As needed

Salt and pepper: To taste

Directions

1. In a small to medium pan, heat up some oil until very hot, almost smoking
2. Lightly salt and pepper the scallops on both sides and carefully place onto the pan, being sure to place them away from you to avoid getting burned with hot oil
3. Let cook on high heat on one side for 1-3 minutes, or until the bottom gets a golden-brown color,
4. Using a fish spatula, carefully flip the scallops on the other side and cook for an additional 1-3 minutes, or until it gets a golden-brown color.
5. Remove from the heat

Garlic and Shallot Confit

10 Shallots, peeled and sliced

2 Heads of garlic, peeled

Olive oil blend: as needed

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree the shallots and garlic
2. Slowly add the oil until it makes a nice smooth paste.
3. In a large pan, cook the shallot and garlic mixture on low heat, being sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan every minute or so, for about 30 minutes or until it begins to turn a bluish green color.
4. Remove from the heat and transfer to a container

Chicken Stock

1 Whole Chicken

1 Onion, diced

1 Carrot, diced

4 stalks of celery, diced

1 Lemon, cut in half

One Head of Garlic, Split horizontally

1 Sachet: 10 whole peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, parsley stems and 2 sprigs of thyme, wrapped in cheesecloth

(Optional) Butchers twine: as needed

Water: Enough to cover the chicken plus one inch above, about 12 cups

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, add all of the vegetables and slowly bring to a boil.
2. Slowly add the chicken to the liquid and slowly bring back up to a boil.
3. Bring down to a low simmer and let cook for 45 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a tray to reserve for another dish.
5. Remove the rest of the ingredients from the stock.
6. Transfer to containers and let cool on the counter before putting into the refrigerator

Save the chicken from this stock as it will be great for making many dishes. It is delicious on its own or split in half and seared in a pan with some herbs and butter. You can even truss the chicken to help hold its form when taking it out of the stock. Also, you don’t need to use cheesecloth when making the stock, but it helps when removing the ingredients.

This was one of my favorite dishes, very versatile and delicious with seafood and all sorts of various seasonal vegetables. You can add vegetable purees, such as carrot or snow pea when serving to give the rice nice colors a nice green or orange color, and even add a variety of sauteed mushrooms. Truly a good dish to master