Tasting Notes

This dinner is for two – flavours galore: luscious, flavoursome, creamy risotto pairs well with tropical style, sweet, scallops.

What You Need

2 medium-sized Shitake mushrooms or 1 large one.

1 1/2 cups frozen peas.

8 scallops.

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice.

2 tablespoons maple syrup.

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.

4 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped chives.

3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter.

6 cups stock – you can use chicken, beef, vegetable. Whatever you have.

1/2 onion peeled.

2 garlic cloves, peeled.

1 1/2 cups Aborio rice.

Parmesan cheese.

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley.

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Equipment

1 large pot.

1 medium-sized pot.

1 medium-sized frying pan.

1 laddle.

1 wooden stirring spoon.

1 small bowl.

Method – Risotto

To the medium-sized pot add your stock and heat up, add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat so that the stock simmers.

Take your large pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive and on put on your stove on medium heat.

Once your oil shimmers add the risotto and keep stirring around with your wooden spoon till all of the of the rice has sheen to it and is a bit on the brown . Add your shallots and mushrooms, keep stirring for another two minutes or so. Make sure the rice is not burned, if it appears to do so, turn the heat down.

Once done – using a laddle – dip into the stock pot and then into the pot with the Aborio rice, shallots and mushrooms.

As soon as most of stock has been absorbed by the rice, add another laddle of stock. Keep doing this till you have used all of your stock. Taste the Aborio rice. It’s done if it’s a bit al dente. If too hard add a laddle full of water.

Once done, add your cheese, mix well. Add the lid from the pot, turn off the heat, then set aside.

Method – Scallops

In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, maple syrup, mustard, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt. Season with pepper.

Dry your scallops using paper towels and then season with salt. This is crucial otherwise you won’t get that nice brown crust you want on your scallops.

Add two tablespoons of olive oil and to your cold frying pan. Heat up on your stove top with medium heat. Once oil shimmers add your scallops patting them down with your wooden spoon.

Cook them for one to two minutes – till they are nice and brown. Then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then transfer to a plate.

Now add the lime mixture to the pan – reduce by half, it should be sticky, then remove from the heat, add your scallops and the butter, stirring till the butter is part of the lime-maple syrup mixture. Sprinkle the chives over everything and mix.

You are now ready to serve.

Enjoy – it’s Delicioso.