Many people are nervous about making risotto but I’m here to say don’t be! Making risotto is super easy, it just requires your constant attention and a little bit of time.
This scallop risotto is great for springtime entertaining, it’s filled with tender bay scallops, sweet peas, zucchini and the brightness of lemon, it’s elegant and easy to make.
When I make risotto I like to have all my ingredients set out, prepped and ready to go, it makes the flow of things go much faster.
The scallops are cooked on one side only then, they don’t take long at all, then folded into and finished off in the warm risotto, of course you can substitute any other seafood you like such as shrimp if scallops aren’t your thing.
Bay scallops are the ones used here, they’re smaller and easy to find. No need to use the larger more expensive sea scallops in this dish. The bay scallops are perfect for this risotto, they’re sweet, buttery and delicate and bite size and with the hint of lemon zest throughout it’s flavor perfection!
Fold the scallops gently into the cooked risotto reserving some for garnish on top.
If you haven’t made risotto yet I encourage you to do so, especially this scallop risotto with spring vegetables, I promise you’ll be in love with every decadent bite!
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- 1 lb. bay scallops, patted dry
- 1¼ cups short grain arborio rice
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 2 medium zucchini, small diced and precooked in sauté pan with olive oil until golden ( may substitute chopped asparagus)
- 1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ cups shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
- ¾ cup white wine
- handful of chopped parsley
- butter and olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- Have all your ingredients ready to go.
- Heat all the stock in a separate pan.
- Use a heavy bottomed pan to make and stir the risotto in so it doesn't burn.
- Add a knob of butter and drizzle olive oil at the bottom of the pan on medium heat.
- Add the onions and garlic, stirring to translucent.
- Toss in the rice and stir to coat for around 2 to 3 minutes
- Add the white wine, stirring until rice absorbs it..
- Add stock in 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it absorbs, then repeat with another cup of hot stock.
- In the meantime, heat a separate sauté pan until hot, add a little butter and toss in the bay scallops, don't turn them, let them cook for 2-3 minutes, set aside.
- Keep stirring and repeat adding stock 1 cup at a time until the rice absorbs the liquid and tastes al dente but not crunchy and hard. ( there might be a little stock leftover).
- Remove risotto pan from heat, add a tablespoon of butter, lemon zest and all of the grated cheese and stir until combined.
- Fold in the cooked zucchini and peas being gentle when tossing and most of the cooked scallops, reserve some for garnish.
- Put a lid on for 1 minute, so everything can meld together.
- Add chopped parsley and spoon into bowls.
- Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and the reserved scallops for garnish.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
