(Asparagus and scallop risotto - Our original home cooking)
Risotto con asparagi e capesante
Asparagus and scallop risotto
This risotto dish with scallops and asparagus is a version of ours of the traditional asparagus risotto.
It's a refined dish you can prepare for a celebration menu. In short, a dish for connoisseurs.
In fact this risotto dish is cooked with asparagus cream and served accompanied by skewered scallops as you can see in the photo.
Risotto with asparagus is a spring recipe if you want to use fresh asparagus.
To prepare asparagus-and-scallop risotto you'll need: fresh asparagus, leek, aromatics (chives and parsley), shelled scallops (fresh or frozen), butter, plain dried breadcrumbs, white dry wine, good-quality extra virgin olive oil and, obviously, rice.
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- 500 g (1lb and 1 1/2oz) fresh asparagus
- 1 leek (about 250 g - 8 3/4oz)
- 250 g (8 3/4oz) shelled scallops
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 15 g (1/2oz) butter
- 2 tablespoons plain dried breadcrumbs
- 280 g (10oz) rice
- 200 ml (7 1/4fl oz) white dry wine
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Time:
preparation: 20 minutes
cooking: 50 minutes
total: 70 minutes - Difficulty:
medium difficulty - Nutrition Facts (amount per serving):
Calories: 414 (kCal) 21 % GDA (*) - 1730 (kJ)
Protein: 19.6 (g) 40 % GDA
Total fat: 9.5 (g) 14 % GDA
Total carbohydrate: 61.7 (g) 23 % GDA
Sugars: 8.2 (g) 10 % GDA
Asparagus-and-scallop risotto recipe
Begin with the asparagus. Trim off the bottom ends of the stalks that is the harder part. It's enough to see where the green color begins to fade. Wash them thoroughly. Remove the spears at the top of the stalk and put them apart. Bring the asparagus stalks together again in a bundle. Cut a piece of kitchen string long enough to wrap a couple of times around the bundle. Tie the kitchen string into a knot to secure it and put the bundle in a deep pot (or in an asparagus steamer, if you have). Be careful the bundle is well upright. Add 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat, cover with a lid and continue simmer until so tender to reduce them to puree.
Prepare the broth. To make risotto you'll need about 1 liter of broth. Prepare it using the asparagus cooking water. Dilute it with the necessary water and bring to a boil. Then add the scallops (make this step even if you have frozen scallops) in boiling water, bring to a boil again and immediately remove the scallops with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Taste the broth to season with salt.
Prepare the risotto. Slice the leek finely and fry in the olive oil over very gentle heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring often. Add the wine and let it evaporate over high heat.
At this point begin to pour in the broth, one ladle at a time, and cook the rice following the instructions on the package. A couple of minutes before finishing cooking add the asparagus puree too and stir.
Once turned off the stove, add more than one tablespoon of parsley and chives and stir thoroughly.
Prepare the skewers of scallops. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan without letting it brown.
Dip the scallops first in melted butter and then in the breadcrumbs mixed with part of the remaining herbs.
Thread the scallops on 4 skewers. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay the skewered scallops on it.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). A few minutes before the risotto comes to cooking put the skewers in the oven and bake under the grill for a few minutes.
Heat the asparagus tips in the remaining butter.
Spoon the risotto in every serving dish and garnish
the risotto surface with some tips and the remaining herbs as you see in the picture.
Arrange a skewer of scallops on every dish and serve immediately.
Note
- - If your spears are thick they may have tough skin. In this case it's necessary to peel their skin with a peeler.
- - To reduce the calories we lowered slightly the amount of rice, on the other hand it is balanced by the presence of scallops.
- - You can plan a complete menu around this risotto dish that is your main dish. It may be a fish or assorted menu. But one thing is important: use different, seasonal and fresh products.
- - You can serve asparagus-and-scallop risotto with Parmesan cheese. But remember to put the grated Parmesan in a little bowl apart. Everyone will be able to serve himself according to his personal taste.
- - For a cremier risotto: add a couple of tablespoons mascarpone or other soft cheese once turned off the stove. But, alas, the calories and fat .... better not talk about it :-)
What's the right wine ?
Our tip is: Pinot Grigio, white wine of DOC Collio of Friuli, a wine particularly suitable for matching with vegetable soups, shellfish and seafood
The author Loretta Sebastiani lives in Italy (IT)
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