The most romantic holiday of the year is upon us, yes you guessed it, Valentine's Day, and like most of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic has had quite an impact on 2021 as well, and while things are beginning to return back to normalcy, some of us are still a little suspect of going out, sitting in bars or restaurants or even ordering takeout. However, most of us have developed a few handy skills during the lockdown, and for some cooking is one of them. So why not make your Valentine feel extra special by going the extra mile for them and cooking a healthy, home cooked meal for them. Here is the most delicious recipe for Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Risotto, and the best thing is that if you are a vegetarian you can just skip the scallops altogether and it will still taste just as delicious.
Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped butternut squash
2 tbsp butter, divided
1 cups wild mushrooms mix (cremini, shittake, oyster, etc)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup dry arborio rice
2 tbsp crispy sage
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
10 sea scallops
1/2 tsp each Salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 450 F. Prepare squash and toss in olive oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 min, stirring a couple times.
Meanwhile, melt 1 1/2 tbsp butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots and garlic, sauteeing for 4-5 min. Add dry rice and stir.
Add wine and bring to a boil, then simmer for 4-5 min until wine reduces a bit. Add stock, about a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Don't ever stop stirring the rice, it will start to turn creamy as stock absorbs. When the stock is almost completely absorbed, add the next 1/2 cup until finished. The rice should be al dente. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper and keep warm on low heat.
{{/usCountry}}Add wine and bring to a boil, then simmer for 4-5 min until wine reduces a bit. Add stock, about a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Don't ever stop stirring the rice, it will start to turn creamy as stock absorbs. When the stock is almost completely absorbed, add the next 1/2 cup until finished. The rice should be al dente. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper and keep warm on low heat.
{{/usCountry}}In a small frying pan, heat olive oil over high heat. When oil starts smoking, add scallops to the pan, searing for about 1 min each side. They should develop a good sear on either side. Remove scallops from pan, and wipe pan clean. Lower heat to medium. Add about 1/2 tbsp butter and once melted, add chopped sage. Saute for about 30 seconds to a minute until crispy. Remove from pan. Serve the risotto in beautiful white plates so that the colour of the dish stands out even more, on top of the risotto add the roasted squash, crispy sage and seared scallops on top and enjoy with your better half this Valentine's Day!
Recipe courtesy The Girl on Bloor
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