Scallops in my opinion, are just about the fanciest and most delicious things you can make at home. Because they are so delicate, they do take quite a bit of technique to nail. We’ll have a creamy risotto for them to sit on and a nice bright asparagus salad to go with it. This dish is the embodiment of spring.
Prep Time: Cook Time: Serves:
10 Minutes 35 Minutes 2 Servings
Risotto
1.2 liter low sodium veggie broth
200g risotto rice
1 minced shallot
12 or more asparagus stalks (oblique cuts)
15ml white wine
5g grated pecorino romano
1 knob of butter
Chopped parsley
Salt
Pepper
Asparagus Salad
Reserved asparagus tops
Finely chopped Chives
Toasted pistachios
lemon juice
olive oil
salt
Scallops
8 diver or dry pack scallops (10-12 Size)
Salt
Cooking oil
Butter
Step 1: Clean And Dry Scallops
Remove your scallops from the packaging and peel the outer muscle away (called the foot). This is usually tougher than the rest of the scallop and can be tossed. Gently wash your scallops in cool water then dry them with a towel and set them in the fridge.
Step 2: Make The Risotto
To prep the asparagus, remove the woody ends. Cut pieces at an angle, larger than a dice, and then roll the stalk over slightly. Make another angled cut until you have about 3 inches of the asparagus top left, we’ll use the tops as the salad/ garnish later. Finely mince the shallot.
At the stove, get your stock simmering over medium low, and to a second pot over medium, add your shallots with a touch of olive oil. Let the shallots sweat, but don't worry about getting color on these. Add in your uncooked rice and toss with the oil and shallots. Once it smells toasty, pour in a solid glug of white wine. Let the wine completely cook down until you don't see any liquid, then begin ladling the hot stock in a little at a time. Begin a 20 minute timer, your aim should be to get almost all of the liquid incorporated by the 20 minutes. Each time you ladle, you’ll mix and cook it until the stock has been absorbed. You don’t have to go crazy here, but the mixing does help with creating the creamy texture. Taste the rice granules at the 20 minute mark to see how they are coming, they should be tender, but not completely soft. The risotto will be under-seasoned at this stage, which is what you want. They will also be a little under al dente here. Add a little more time if the granules are still crunchy. Cover this and set it aside.
Set a sauté pan over medium high heat and add a touch of olive oil along with a small knob of butter. Once the butter is hot and foamy, add your asparagus pieces and season them with salt and pepper. Cook these in the hot fat until just barely fork tender, and they’ve taken on a little color. Taste one to make sure they are the right texture if you’re unsure, but in a hot pan like this, they don’t need long. Remove them from the pan and add them into the risotto pot. To the risotto, grate in 5g of pecorino cheese, a knob of butter, and a bunch of finely minced parsley. If you don’t cook with wine, add a splash of white vinegar here, like a few drops just to bring a little acidity. The risotto will need a little bit of water to get the right texture, so adjust it accordingly. Lastly, give this a taste and adjust the salt content. Keep this warm while we finish the rest of the dish.
Step 3: Cook The Scallops
Preheat a sauté pan over medium high for a couple of minutes. This needs to be hot, but it also needs to be evenly hot, so move it around in case your stove has cool spots. Grab your scallops from the fridge and dry them with a paper towel again, then season both sides with salt. Use a bead of water to judge the temp, if it beads and rolls freely in the pan, it’s hot enough. Turn your pan down to medium, add oil to coat the bottom of the pan (canola, vegetable, or avocado). Gently place your scallops into the oil, being very careful not to splash on yourself.. Start a two minute timer and don’t touch the scallops. If you’re pan is hot enough, they won’t stick when you go to flip them over. At the two minute timer, flip the scallops, add in a few tablespoons of butter and restart the two minute timer. This will cool down the pan and give us beautiful brown butter to spoon over the tops of them. For scallops this large, 4 minutes is just about perfect, but keep in mind smaller ones will cook quicker. Remove them from the pan and pour the brown butter over them while they rest.
Step 4: Dress Salad And Serve
To dress the salad, toss the shredded asparagus into a bowl with the pistachios. Finely chop a few chives for a little oniony brightness and add those in as well. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon along with a little olive oil to create a makeshift dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and this whole thing is ready for plating. Split the risotto between two plate and spread it evenly as a base on both. Add a little salad on top of both and then top each one with 4 scallops. Sprinkle a little finely chopped chives and get ready to dive in. The scallops will be perfectly tender and beautifully briney. The risotto will help give the whole dish more body, while the asparagus brings brightness and earthiness.
Cheers!
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