Seared Australian Scallops with Pea Risotto

Ingredients

250gm Australian Scallops, Roe On, No Shell

Sea Salt

300 gm Frozen Baby Peas

2 tbls Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

½ Brown Onion, finely chopped

1 Cup Arborio Rice

½ Cup White Wine

3 Cups Chicken Stock

30 gm Butter

2 tbls Parsley, finely chopped

Black Pepper

Micro Herbs or Snow Pea Tendrils, to garnish

Method

In a small food processor add 150 gms of the frozen baby peas and 100 mls of the chicken stock, pulse until smooth, set aside.

To make the risotto, heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan. In (seperate) large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat, add the garlic and onion, cook gently for a few minutes without browning. Stir in the rice, stir frequently and cook for a further few minutes until translucent.

Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring constantly until the wine has evaporated. Add a couple of ladles of the hot chicken stock at a time, allow to simmer, stirring often until most of the stock has been absorbed. Repeat this step until the rice is al dente, approximately 15-20 minutes. Add the baby pea puree and whole peas, along with the chopped parsley and butter, season with sea salt, mix well, keep warm.

To cook the scallops, pat dry with paper towel, season lightly with sea salt, heat a frypan over a medium heat. Once hot add a little olive oil, place scallops in the pan for one minute on each side, remove from the pan.

To serve, divide the pea risotto between four bowls, top with the seared scallops garnish with micro herbs or snow pea tendrils, grind over black pepper.

Cook’s Tip

Drizzle with a little Truffle Oil for a delicious twist on this recipe or serve with aged Grana Padano.

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