Pan-Seared Scallops over Lobster-Prosciutto Risotto
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
Risotto:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups lobster stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup sherry
One 8-ounce warm-water lobster tail
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
Scallops:
2 pounds dry sea scallops (U-10)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
To Finish:
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Citrus Butter Sauce, for drizzling, recipe follows
Scallion Oil, for drizzling, recipe follows
Citrus Butter Sauce:
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 orange, juiced
1/4 cup white wine
4 tablespoons butter, cold
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scallion Oil:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 green onions, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- For the risotto: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add the onions, garlic and shallots; saute, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the white wine, stirring to make sure the rice grains are moving freely and not clumped together. Reduce the heat to medium.
- In a separate saucepan, whisk together the lobster stock, tomato paste and sherry. Add to the lobster stock mixture to the rice, 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring continuously, until all the stock has been added and the rice is al dente. Set the risotto aside and keep warm.
- Split the lobster tail in half, coat the meat with butter, and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until almost fully cooked. Remove the meat from the shell, cut into bite-size cubes, and add to the risotto to finish cooking. Set the risotto aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Deep-fry the julienned prosciutto until crispy, 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Add 3/4 cup of the fried prosciutto to the risotto; reserve the remainder for garnish.
- For the scallops: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Heat a large saute pan over high heat. While the pan is heating, pat the scallops dry with a heavy, lint-free paper towel and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to the pan; heat until extremely hot and smoking. Add the scallops and cook until beginning to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the scallops, then transfer to the oven for about 4 minutes, or until cooked through.
- To finish: Return the risotto to medium heat. Add the Parmesan and stir to combine.
- For each serving, top one scoop of risotto with 5 sea scallops. Drizzle with citrus butter sauce and scallion oil, and garnish with the reserved crispy prosciutto and some cilantro leaves.
Citrus Butter Sauce:
- Combine the lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice and white wine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until reduced by three-quarters. Remove from the heat add the butter, stirring continuously until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Scallion Oil:
- Combine the olive oil, green onions, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a blender or food process. Blend on high speed until smooth.