Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Recipe: Mushroom risotto with scallops, pancetta, samphire and Parmesan

What does your ultimate risotto look / sound like? Mine consists of these ingredients: large sea scallops, unsmoked pancetta, samphire, white button mushrooms, arborio rice and 30-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano.

Samphire is something we cannot find in KL, so I always try and cook with them (at least once) when we're in the UK. They pair really well with seafood (ie scallops) and adds a natural saltiness to a risotto dish. The crispy pancetta adds texture and also a subtle umami-ness to the dish. This risotto dish tastes absolutely amazing!




Mushroom risotto with seared scallops, pancetta, samphire and Parmesan
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Serves 4


Ingredients
250g carnaroli or arborio rice
2 small shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tbsp butter
1.3 - 1.5l chicken stock
30g Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 pack white button mushrooms, washed and sliced thinly
90g unsmoked pancetta, sliced
1 pack samphire (70g), washed
12 sea scallops
Salt and freshly ground pepper


1. In a large non-stick pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.

2. Increase heat to high, then add the rice. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir the rice with the onion, making sure that the grains are coated with the olive oil/butter until slightly translucent and the rice starts to crackle, for about 2 minutes. This process is called tostatura. It helps the rice absorb the stock later.

3. Dissolve one chicken stock pot in 1.2l water. Turn the heat down to medium low and add enough stock to cover the risotto, about 1 cup. Keep stirring the risotto constantly as stirring massages the starch molecules out of the rice, hence creating a rich, creamy texture.

4. Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding more stock to the rice. Keep adding small amounts of stock (1/2 cup at a time) to the rice until the rice is soft but still has a bite to it (al dente). This will take about 20-30 minutes. Taste the risotto rice occasionally to check if it's ready. If you run out of stock before your rice is ready, you can add boiling water as a substitute for the stock.

5. In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5-8 minutes, until they are crispy and golden. Remove from heat with slotted spoon and set aside.

6. In the same frying pan (from Step 5), add the samphire and saute over medium heat for 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat with slotted spoon and set aside.



7. Using the same pan (from Step 6), add the mushrooms and saute for about 2-3 minutes, season, then set aside.

8. When the rice is almost ready (95%), lower the heat, then stir in the sauteed mushrooms (from Step 7). Take the pan off the heat and add the Parmesan into the rice (the mantecatura process) as well as 1 tablespoon of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

9. Heat the pan (from Step 7) with 1 tbsp oil and some butter over high heat until very hot. Pat the scallops dry with kitchen towel and season with salt. Once pan is very hot, add the scallops and quickly sear, depending on the size of your scallops (about 1-2 minutes). Remove once cooked and set aside.

10. To serve, place risotto onto a plate, then top with scallops, samphire and pancetta. Garnish with more shaved Parmesan. Serve immediately.



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