Scallop Risotto with Sweet Peas & Lemon
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 732kcal
This Scallop Risotto with Sweet Peas & Lemon is the perfect romantic dinner to make at home to celebrate Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or other special occasion.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Risotto
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 cups bone broth or chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups leeks chopped, about 2 leeks
- 1/2 cup shallot minced, about 1 shallot
- 1 cup Arborio rice uncooked
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon chopped
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Seared Scallops
- 12 large sea scallops
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring bone broth or chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek and shallots to pan, cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add rice and cook 1 minute, until it becomes translucent. Add vermouth and allow to evaporate, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 ladle of stock and cook until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining stock, 1 ladle at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in frozen peas, butter and parmesan and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup of oil until shimmering. Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the skillet and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Add the butter to the skillet. Turn the scallops over and cook just until white throughout, 2 minutes longer.
- To serve: Plate the risotto into four bowls, top each with three of the seared scallops. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tips
- I love to keep dry vermouth on hand and often use it in recipes where white wine is called for. It will keep in your cupboard and it’s generally more affordable than white wine.
- The best way to determine if your risotto is done is by tasting. During the last 5-10 minutes it will become very creamy. You want to ensure that the arborio rice is fully cooked, but not becoming mushy. I like for it to have the slightest bit of a bite to it.
- If your risotto is too thick, stir in a splash of broth at a time to loosen it up.
- With Asparagus: Steam about 20 asparagus spears. Cut into 1-inch pieces then stir into the cooked risotto.
- With Mushrooms: Add 8 ounces of thinly sliced mushrooms with the leek and shallots, then saute for a few minutes.
- With Crispy Prosciutto: Crumble some crispy prosciutto on top!
- To store: Keep any leftover risotto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat: Place the leftovers into a pan with a bit of extra broth and heat over medium heat until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1195IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 3.8mg