Scallop Risotto

During our trip to Chicago, we ate dinner at Fig & Olive and I had the best scallop risotto with mushrooms and truffle. It was so good, that not only did I completely scrape the plate, but I order the same dish at Fig & Olive when visiting New York. After realizing how much effort goes into making delicious risotto, this dish has been reserved for special occasions or our next trip. If you do not enjoy cooking or spending time in the kitchen, this scallop risotto recipe is not for you. Seriously, you have to stir the risotto for about 30 minutes and it is a tedious process. Carnaroli rice is a little bit more difficult to find but works way better than sushi rice when making risotto. I usually find carnaroli and good scallops at Central Market or Whole Foods. If you do not like mushrooms or truffles, you can use the risotto recipe as a base and add vegetables and flavors of your liking. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Scallop Risotto recipe.

1 tablespoon salt

6 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

2 cups carnaroli or Japanese sushi rice

1 cup dry white wine

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon truffle oil

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pound sea scallops

Combine 1 tablespoon of salt and 10 cups of water in a medium pot, and bring to a simmer. Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven and cook shallot until translucent and soften. Add 1/2 cup of water, stirring often, until water evaporates and shallot is completely tender. Add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Stir constantly until grains of rice are translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes, and they make a clattering sound when they hit the pot. (Coating the grains with oil helps the rice cook evenly so the outside does not become mushy before the center is tender.) Add wine, and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally until wine is evaporated. 

Reduce heat to medium and add hot salted water for the second pot in 1 cup increments. Stir constantly and allow water to absorb fully before adding more. Cook until rice is al dente and surrounded by a creamy suspension, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add 5 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, truffle oil, and ground pepper, and stir until melted. 

  Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet on medium. Add chopped mushrooms and garlic, and cook, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Pour mushrooms over risotto and using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Season scallops generously with salt and pepper. Cook scallops on one side until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and turn scallops over. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Plate scallops with risotto and serves warm.