Cedar & Ember · Main dishes

Seared Scallops with Sweet Pea & Lemon Risotto

Name: Seared Scallops with Sweet Pea & Lemon Risotto
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8 whole Large sea scallops; 150 g Arborio rice; 750 ml Chicken or vegetable stock; 1 whole Shallot; 1 tbsp Olive oil; 80 ml Dry white wine; 150 g Frozen peas; 30 g Unsalted butter; 30 g Parmesan; 1 whole Lemon; 6 leaf Fresh mint leaves; 1 tbsp Neutral cooking oil; 0.75 tsp Salt; 1 pinch Black pepper

Golden-crusted sea scallops over a creamy, bright green pea and lemon risotto, finished with Parmesan, mint and a little brown butter.

45 minutes · Intermediate · 2 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Large sea scallops8 whole
Arborio rice150 g
Chicken or vegetable stock750 ml
Shallot1 whole
Olive oil1 tbsp
Dry white wine80 ml
Frozen peas150 g
Unsalted butter30 g
Parmesan30 g
Lemon1 whole
Fresh mint leaves6 leaf
Neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
Salt0.75 tsp
Black pepper1 pinch

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Molluscs, milk and sulphites. Check wine and stock labels.

Method

Make the pea purée

Blanch 100 g of the peas in a little of the hot stock for 2 minutes, then blend with 60 ml of that stock until smooth. Set aside.

Start the risotto

Warm the olive oil in a wide saucepan over medium heat. Cook the shallot 2–3 minutes until soft, then add the rice and stir for 1–2 minutes until the edges turn translucent.

Add the wine and stock

Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, stirring often and letting each addition absorb before adding the next, for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is creamy and just tender.

Finish the risotto

Stir in the pea purée, the remaining whole peas, 15 g butter, the Parmesan, the lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Season with salt to taste. Cover and keep warm off the heat.

Sear the scallops

Pat the scallops very dry, remove the side muscle and season with salt and pepper. Keep raw shellfish utensils separate. Heat the neutral oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Sear the scallops 2 minutes without moving until deeply golden, flip, add the remaining 15 g butter and baste until just opaque through the sides. Check the centre: shellfish must reach 74°C (165°F). Cook longer if needed.

Plate

Use clean utensils. Spoon the risotto into warm shallow bowls, arrange four scallops on each and drizzle over the browned butter from the pan. Finish with torn mint and a squeeze of lemon.

Buy dry-packed scallops. Wet-packed ones are treated with a solution that makes them weep in the pan and refuse to brown.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.