Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Seared Scallops
This rich flavored risotto boosted with a variety of wild mushrooms like, shiitakes, chanterelles, morels, portobellos, creminis, and even porcinis, if you can find them and afford them. Any combination of these will work. And, with seared, beautifully browned, caramelized sweet and briny scallops this is a dish you will not believe you can make at home.
Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Scalllops
I make this rich risotto with not just the mushrooms and the traditional chicken stock, but I also kick it up by adding mushroom bouillon and grilled or steamed asparagus to give it a nutty freshness.
Equipment
- risotto pan or skillet
- steamer or grill basket
Ingredients
Scallops
- 8 plump sea scallops - about 1.5 lbs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Risotto
- ½ onion - minced
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- ½ lb assorted wild mushrooms (any combination of Portobello, cremini, shiitake, morels, chanterelles, porcini) - stemmed
- ½ handful of sprigs thyme - leaves removed
- 1 tablespoon fresh Italian flat leaf parsley - chopped
- 1 bay leafs
- 1 cups Arborio rice
- ¼ cup dry white wine, - like pinot grigio
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoon mushroom stock - I use Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup parmigiano-reggiano - freshly grated
- ½ bunch asparagus - hard bases truimmed
- fresh flat leaf Italian parsley - chopped for a garnish
Instructions
Scallops
- Rinse, blot completely dry between paper toweling, salt and pepper.
- In a skillet large enough so the scallops will not be crowded, heat the oil to shimmery and just starting to smoke. Use a tongs to place the largest face of the scallops into the oil. Using a spatter guard will limit the mess. leave unmoved until the fried surface has developed a nice brown crust. turn once and brown the other side being careful to remove early so that the scallop is not cook through. It will continue to cook after being removed and you don't want over-cooked scallops. Set aside.
Asparagus (optional)
- Steam or grill the asparagus until al dente, but tender and cut into bite-sized pieces, about 1" to 1½".
Risotto
- Heat the chicken stock with the mushroom bouillon in a saucepan just to be warm. Have a ladle available for adding this stock to the rice one ladle at a time.
- Drizzle a 2-count of olive oil into a skillet or risotto pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft. Toss in the mushrooms and herbs and cook until the mushrooms lose their liquid and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir 2 minutes to coat with the oil; the grains will turn opaque. Season again. Stir in the wine and cook 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol.
- Now ladle in about a cup of the warm stock and stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. Add another cup of stock. Continue in this way, stirring constantly and adding the stock 1 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. (You may not need all of the stock; the risotto is done when it is slightly firm but creamy.) When the risotto is cooked, fold in the butter and cheese, and the asparagus (optional), drizzle with a little more olive oil. Serve hot. Top with two seared scallops. Garnish with parsley.
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