Sarasota's Shrimp and Scallops With Creamy Risotto

Submitted by SarasotaCook

"I love risotto, but honestly, I don't make it that often, but this is really good. At the end I simply stir in some seared scallops, shrimp and some greens for a great flavor. This is not my recipe well, not for the most part. But I got the idea from a small New England restaurant and this is my version and. And I admit, it is pretty basic, but it is always great!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• Risotto

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 small onion, fine chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fennel, thin sliced
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 5 cups chicken stock (you may only use 4 1/2, but I always have just a little extra)
• 1⁄4 cup cream
• 3 cups kale, stems removed and chopped fine
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter

• Seafood

• 15 large shrimp (peeled, tails removed)
• 15 sea scallops
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt
• pepper

• Garnish

• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese

directions

1. Seafood -- Make sure all the seafood is cleaned and room temp or at least out of the refrigerator to take the chill off.
2. Risotto --
3. Step 1: In a large sauce pan, heat the oil to medium heat and add the onion, fennel and cook until tender. It should take 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and cook another couple of minutes until slightly brown and rice absorbs the oil and the flavors of the onion and the fennel. It will take just a couple of minutes. Add in the wine and cook another minute or so until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
4. Step 2: Chicken broth - make sure to heat up your chicken broth in a small sauce pan on the stove so you can add a little at a time.
5. Step 3: Slowly add a little chicken broth to the rice mixture, a little (1 cup) at a time until it is all absorbed. Don't forget to stir. When almost all the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes), add in the kale and cook another 5 minutes. Then add in the butter and cream and stir and remove from the heat and cover. I have read that risotto takes exactly so many minutes. Well every time I have made it. Never the same amount of time. So about 20-25 minutes is what I use. Just check it.
6. Seafood -- First, season the scallops with salt and pepper. And then in a medium sauce pan (NO non-stick if possible), heat up the butter to medium high heat. Add the scallops and cook 1-2 minutes per side. Don't move the scallops after you add them to the pan - let them cook. After 1-2 minutes the scallops should easily move and golden brown on one side. Flip and cook the other side. The second side will only take a minute (less time). Remove to a plate while you cook the shrimp. The shrimp again, just 2 maybe 3 minutes if that. Just when they start to curl and they turn pink remove and add to the scallops.
7. Finish -- If the risotto is too thick, just add a little chicken broth. Check for seasoning, salt and pepper; and add in the scallops, shrimp and parsley. Toss well and top with grated parmesan.