📋 Butter Seared Scallops And Risotto With Peas And Bacon

Scallops and risotto is an elegant and delicate main dish for a special occasion. It sounds like a complicated dish, but it is easily achievable. Fresh pan-seared scallops are served on top of the risotto, making an entire meal on one plate. To contrast the sweetness of the scallops without overpowering them, I make a creamy risotto with peas and bacon. Although Parmesan cheese is nowhere to be found in this seafood recipe, Italians don't like combining fresh seafood with cheese.

Course Rice

Cuisine Italian

Keyword risotto with scallops, scallops risotto, seafood risotto

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 659kcal

Author Laura Tobin

Equipment

Ingredients

For the vegetable stock

1 carrot
1 onion
1 stalk of celery
½ tablespoon salt
5 cups fresh water

For the risotto

⅓ cup butter
1 shallot
1 lb Carnaroli rice Carnaroli Riso Gallo (Grand Riserva)
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup peas boiled
3 oz bacon cubed
1 lemon

For the scallops

10 oz fresh scallops
3 tablespoon butter
1 pinch salt & pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the vegetable stock

Boil for 20 minutes in salted water 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 1 celery stalk
1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 stalk of celery, ½ tablespoon salt, 5 cups fresh water
In a separate pan boil the peas in salted water for 5 minutes and drain
½ cup peas

Make the risotto

In a large pan stir fry a chopped shallot
⅓ cup butter, 1 shallot
Once the shallot becomes translucent add the shredded bacon
3 oz bacon
When the bacon slightly crisps, add the Carnaroli rice
1 lb Carnaroli rice
Stir until the rice is slightly toasted and has absorbed the flavor from the butter
Add the white wine and let it evaporate
½ cup dry white wine
Check the cooking time required on the rice package
Add a ladle of vegetable stock (start counting the time)
Stir until the stock is absorbed by the rice
Continue to add the stock one ladle at a time
Add lemon zest and the preboiled peas 2 minutes before the rice is done
1 lemon
Taste the rice and when it is done add 1 tablespoon of butter
Stir, cover, and let it rest for 5 minutes until the butter melts
⅓ cup butter

Cook the scallops

Add butter to a pan at medium heat and let it melt
3 tablespoon butter
Add the scallops drained by any residual water
10 oz fresh scallops
Season with salt and pepper and let the scallops cook for 2 to 3 minutes until golden (time depends on their size)
1 pinch salt & pepper
Turn them around and season the other side
Let them cook another 2 to 3 minutes until they turn into a solid mat white color
Remove from the heat as soon as they are done

How to serve it

Once the scallops are ready and the risotto has rested, you should serve them immediately.
Place a portion of risotto on a plate and few scallops on top.
To contrast the sweetness of the scallops you can serve some lemon slices to fresh squeeze some juice over the plate.

Video

Notes

To cook the risotto use a vegetable or a fish stock. Do not use meat or chicken stock as the flavor will be overpowering for the scallops
Use a good quality rice, either Carnaroli or Aborio type. Using the wrong rice will totally ruin the dish
Make sure the scallops are drained from any residual water
Remove the scallops from the pan as soon as they turn solid white. You do not want to over cook them

Nutrition