Seared scallops with sweet pea risotto
(from BeSu’s recipe box)
The Bee’s Allen Pierleoni suggests individually quick- frozen or dry-packed scallops over wet-packed ones, as they contain less liquid and have more flavor.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 34 minutes
Serves 2 people
Categories: peas, risotto, scallops, seafood
Ingredients
- 4 cups English peas, fresh or frozen, divided use
- 5 leaves mint, fresh
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
- fresh-ground pepper to taste
- Sugar, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 6 jumbo scallops, about 1 1/2 ounces each
- Olive oil
- Pea sprouts, if available; garnish
Directions
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For the pea purée:
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Put 3 cups of peas into a blender, add mint and cup of cold water. Purée until smooth, adding additional water if needed until sauce reaches a smooth consistency. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. The sauce should have a slight sweetness and a hint of mint. This can be made 1 day before, if kept refrigerated.
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For the risotto:
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Follow directions on the bag, using the vegetable broth for the liquid.
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As the rice absorbs the broth, add pea purée a little at a time until the texture of the rice becomes creamy and the color is bright green.
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Divide the rice evenly onto two plates and garnish with the remaining peas. This process will take about 30 minutes to complete.
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There are plenty of parcooked risottos on the market that will reduce the cooking time; just be sure to purchase a neutral flavor. Regular rice or even mashed potatoes can be substituted, but the creamy finish of the risotto adds depth to the dish.
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For the scallops:
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Place the thawed scallops on a clean kitchen cloth or a paper towel to absorb any excess liquid (the sugars in the scallop caramelize over heat much better when they’re dry).
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Season lightly with salt and pepper and place in a preheated sauté pan with a tea- spoon of oil.
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Cook approximately 2 minutes on each side and deglaze with a little chicken broth.
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Remove from heat; allow to rest. The scallops will continue to cook and should be slightly translucent when done.
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Remove scallops from pan and blot on a towel before placing on top of the risotto.
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Toss pea sprouts with a few drops of olive oil, salt and pepper and garnish the dish.