Risotto with scallops and herbs

Makes: 4|Cooks In: 1 hour|Difficulty: Easy

“Certain dishes are at their best when made with fresh ingredients and this is one of them. I recommend using fresh rather than frozen scallops, and these are nearly always available in Australia. Ideally, you also need a couple of fresh herbs like chives and chervil; if not available, just use flatleaf parsley. You must use a delicate stock for this dish.”

Ingredients

24 fresh scallops
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 ⁄2 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons diced zucchini
200 g Italian risotto rice
50 ml dry white wine
2 litres fish stock, simmering
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped
fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil (optional)
a few drops of lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter

Method

Step 1

Chop 8 of the scallops and keep the remaining 16 whole to add near the end of the cooking time.

Step 2

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan and cook the onions and garlic until soft. Add the chopped scallops, zucchini and rice. Stir well, then add the wine.

Step 3

Toast the rice by frying it until it has absorbed all the wine and fat. After a minute or so, begin to add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly between addition until the stock is absorbed.

Step 4

Cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, but each grain is still slightly firm in the centre. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Step 5

Towards the end of the cooking time, add the whole scallops. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in the fresh herbs and the lemon juice.

Step 6

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Cover for few moments, then serve.