Scallop Risotto - Dinner for Two

Dad and me had a special dinner for two Friday last week. We did not have dinner out. We had dinner in. But with dinner separate from your Friday fish and chips. We had scallops risotto. You can say this is an invention test as there were no recipes followed. But Mum was merely guided by the dire passion to make a scallops risotto dish inspired by a favourite dish I always order at the Woolwich Hotel. Previous lunches with office colleagues was always at this place. Its close proximity (not that close) to the office makes it a likely choice. Plus, the place offers modern and contemporary Australian cuisine. The scallop risotto at Woolwich Pier Hotel is served with 4 pcs of scallops on top and some fried julienne spring onions.

Mum’s scallop risotto included:

1.5 cups Arborio rice

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup white wine

1 cup grated parmesan

1 cup frozen peas

100g button mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

30g butter

2 tbsp olive oil

12 pcs scallops

1 bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced (julienne)

1. Heat the olive oil and 20g butter in a pan. Fry the garlic and onions until translucent. Add the

2. Arborio rice and stirring until rice is covered through. Add the white wine and stir until liquid as dissolved.

3. Add chicken stock half a cup at a time while stirring. Let simmer. Add stock as the liquid dissolved, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the mushrooms and peas after last part of stock is added. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes more. Once rice is cooked through, add the parmesan and stir.

5. In a separate pan, heat the remaining butter. Cook the scallops for about 2 minutes on each side then set aside.

6. Brown the spring onion in the same pan and set aside.

7. Spoon Arborio rice onto a plate. Top with scallop pieces and sprinkle with the spring onion.

Serves 2.

When I made this, there was about another serve of risotto left. So it must be safer to allow for a half cup of Arborio rice per person.

As risotto is a rice dish, it does give you that "full to the stomach" feel after eating. Surprisingly, risotto made Dad so full, he did not need a second serve. Risotto is great for when you're tired of the usual rice and pasta dishes.