lemon risotto with seared scallops and peas

Pan Seared Scallops With Sweet Pea, Tarragon and Lemon Risotto

Written by on in Food, Recipes

**POST UPDATED JULY 2021 to include new photos as well as a few small updates. This was a post about the very first time I cooked risotto and scallops–well before my time on MasterChef. I left my observations the same since I think it’s really fun to see how much I’ve learned**

Sometimes figuring out what to make for dinner can be quite the challenge.

You see, I have this terrible problem of never knowing exactly what I want.  Then, when I think I have it all figured out…BAM!…it changes, and doesn’t sound interesting anymore.  (Haha!  Kind of like my career-path, now that I think about it.  I never could decide exactly what it was that I wanted to be…).

So today, like most days, I wandered off to the supermarket to buy ingredients for an Indian-inspired dish using scallops.  Small problem.  I didn’t really feel like eating anything Indian.

I wanted something flavorful, but not spicy.  Something that was both hearty and filling.  I wanted to eat out!

I knew Piyush would not be happy if I told him I wanted to go out tonight, especially because our refrigerator was well stocked and I had just spent a small fortune on fresh scallops.  So I opened up the pantry doors and hoped for a little inspiration.

And then I saw it.  A big jar of arborio rice, sitting right in front of me.  I decided to try my hand at making risotto.

risotto ingredients

I’ve never attempted to make risotto before, and have actually only tried it once.  I remembered it being a little crunchy and dry and I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, really.

But now that the idea was in my head, I had to have risotto.  And I had to have it now.  That’s just how I am, I guess.

After searching online and getting a little inspiration from Gordon Ramsay and random youtube people, I got to work.

I found a recipe from Cooking Light that sounded like it would taste spectacular (It did!)–and I had all the ingredients on hand.  From start to finish, making the risotto took about a half hour–with at least 25 of those minutes spent stirring the rice.  It was tedious, but zen-like at the same time.  I liked it. Bonus: I could drink some leftover wine while I stirred. This added to the experience.

risotto aromatics

arborio rice risotto

Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos of the risotto making process.  It really is a process, and I was too involved with stirring (and day-dreaming) to even think about clicking photos.  Sorry!

I’ll pass on a little risotto-makin’ knowledge though…

First, make sure you have all your stuff ready.  Usually I run around like a crazy person, digging through cupboards and raiding the refrigerator; but this time I had everything pre-chopped and pre-measured.  I think this was the biggest contributor to my risotto success!

Second, make sure to taste your rice as you cook.  Each time I tossed in a ladle of stock, I tried a grain or two of the rice.  You don’t want it to be crunchy, but it shouldn’t be mushy either.  Aim for your rice to be cooked al dente.  A little “bite” is a good thing!

lemon and pea risotto and scallops

Once the risotto was finished, I set it aside and got started on the scallops.  I learned to cook scallops last year, and I’ve got to tell you…it’s simple!  They look intimidating…but looks are deceiving!  I really have no idea how all those cooks on the “reality” cooking shows like MasterChef can screw them up.  Honestly.  Someone always does. It’s crazy.

[EDIT in July of 2021 to say that I am now also one of those cooks on the reality shows that screwed up the scallops! Oh how my words came back to bite me. In fact, Chef Ramsay eliminated me from MasterChef for burning the scallops. Damn.]

One thing I love about scallops is that they cook really, really fast (in around 5 minutes!)–which make them an ideal match for risotto (you don’t want the risotto to go cold).  On the other hand, one thing I hate about scallops is that they stink up your house.  Completely. Crank up the hood exhaust and light a few candles.

A really great resource to learn more about scallops–and to purchase them if you’re in need of fresh seafood shipped right to you (as I usually am. Most of my local supermarkets just have not had really great, fresh scallops no matter when I’ve tried to purchase) is LobsterAnywhere. They have a great Scallop 101 resource that I recommend checking out.

If you do choose to purchase scallops from LobsterAnywhere and have them shipped to your door, I can vouch for the quality. The ones I recieved were absolutely beautiful. They were frozen though, so you’ll need to account for that.

To get that great sear that most people really want on their scallop, it’s really important to dry them very well. I usally cover a baking tray with paper towels, place the scallops on the towels and then put another layer on top. Before cooking, you’ll also want to remove the little flap on the side of the scallop. This is a muscle and if you leave it attached, it’ll be tough and rubbery.

scallop muscle

Removing this little flap is super easy. You can pull it off with your fingers or grab a kitchen tweezer, if you prefer.

removing scallops muscle

DO NOT ADD SALT TO YOUR SCALLOPS until you are nearly ready to cook them. Infact, don’t salt them until just before they hit the pan. If you do, they’ll release moisture and you’ll never acheive that golden brown crust. To get the best sear on your scallops, reach for your cast iron pan, if you have one. Once your pan is super hot (use a little grapeseed oil–or something with a high smoke point), then sprinkle the top side of the scallop with salt, pepper and any other seasoning you plan to use.

salt and pepper scallops, ready to cook scallops

Once the scallops are seasoned, add them into the pan, but be sure not to crowd them! You want them to sear and not steam. Crowding the scallops will result in a lackluster sear. Cook them in batches, if you have to.

cooking scallops in cast iron pan

I usually let them cook for a couple minutes or so–until they are golden brown and release easily from the pan before flipping.  After flipping, I let them cook for another 30 seconds before tossing in a “butter bomb.”

seared scallops

The butter bomb is simply a pat of butter (about 1 1/2 tbsp–give or take) with fresh herbs stuck into it.  I toss it right in and let the butter brown up.  It adds a delicious nutty flavor to the scallops.

After the scallops get “bombed,” use a spoon and baste the scallops with some of the melted butter. This will make your sear even better. At this point, they really only take about a minute longer to fully cook through.  Watch them closely, scallops are very easy to overcook; and nobody likes rubbery scallops! Trust me–I know. It cost me $250k and got me booted out of Chef Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen. haha!  In my experience, It’s much better to have them just slightly underdone.

Once the scallops are done cooking, remove them from the pan directly onto a plate–and then they’re ready to serve!

seared cooked scallops

This dinner was fantastic!  I think risotto might be my new favorite thing.  Seriously.

It’s weird, but for some reason it really reminded me of macaroni and cheese.  It must have been the creaminess or how comforting the dish is, I don’t know.  It didn’t taste like macaroni and cheese…

I’m so excited to try other variations.  In fact, I was thinking I’d find a way to fuse some of the Indian flavors my family loves into it.

Until then, I’ll leave you with this recipe!

Pan Seared Scallops With Sweet Pea, Tarragon and Lemon Risotto

Makes approximately 8 servings — 1/2 c. each (each serving is around 210 calories)

Recipe adapted and modified from Cooking Light 

Ingredients for Risotto:
  • 1 c. fresh or frozen sweet peas (If using fresh, be sure to blanch them.  If using frozen, simply let thaw)
  • 4 to 5 c. Vegetable Stock (I used 2 c. homemade chicken stock and 3 c. store bought veggie stock)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large garlic cloves- minced
  • 3 shallots- chopped
  • 1 c. uncooked Arborio rice
  • 3 tbsp. dry white wine (I used a dry marsala)
  • 1/2 c. fresh Parmesan cheese- grated
  • zest and juice of 1 small lemon (I used a meyer lemon)
  • salt- to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper- to taste
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese (may substitute butter)
Directions for Risotto:
 
  • Bring Stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
  • Pour 2 tbsp. olive oil into a heavy bottomed pan (I used my dutch oven) and heat over medium-high flame.  Once the oil is hot, add the shallot and garlic–stirring constantly.  You don’t want the shallot to take on a brown color, but you want it to be cooked through and semi-translucent –approximately 3 to 4 minutes.  
  • Once the shallot and garlic are cooked, add the chopped tarragon and thyme.  Stir to combine. 
  • Add the uncooked rice to the pot and cook (stirring constantly) for about a minute.  Add 3 tbsp. wine to deglaze. Keep stirring the rice until all the wine seems to be absorbed and the pan is looking dry. 
  • Add one ladle of stock (approximately 1/2 c.) and stir until nearly all of it is absorbed by the rice.  Keep stirring and adding stock 1/2 c. at a time as the rice absorbs it.  I ended up using about 5 cups of stock, but it will really depend on how long your rice takes to cook (you want the rice to be al dente –it should have a little bite to it) and how creamy you like your risotto. This process will take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. 
  • Stir in peas and cook the risotto for about 1 minute before adding the cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Keep cooking and stirring until the cheese is melted and is no longer “stringy.”  The risotto should have a nice thick, creamy consistency at this point. Remove from heat.  Stir in the 1 tbsp. mascarpone cheese to finish.  
  • Serve as soon as possible for best flavor.
 
Ingredients for Scallops:
(increase as needed for more servings.  This will make 2 servings of 3 scallops each)
 
  • 6 wild caught sea scallops (dry packed)
  • 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 large sprig of fresh tarragon
  • salt- to season
  • pepper- to season
Directions for Scallops:
  • Dry scallops with a paper towel and set aside on a plate.  Season the scallops with salt and pepper.  Don’t be shy with the seasoning, most of it will get lost in the pan and won’t stick to the scallop.
  • Heat 1/2 tbsp. olive oil in a medium sized non-stick pan.  Once the oil is hot add the scallops one at a time in a circular position.  (Imagine a clock.  You’ll want to place the scallops at approximately 12:00, 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00 and 10:00–this will ensure the scallops cook evenly).  
  • Scallops cook quickly.  Sear the first side for about a minute.  When you notice some nice color, flip the scallops.  Cook for 30 seconds and then add the butter and fresh herbs to the center of the pan.  Let the butter cook for about a minute.
  • You’ll notice the butter will begin to brown and smell a little nutty.  Spoon the butter over each of the scallops, and cook for about 30 seconds more.  
  • Remove the scallops from the pan and place them on a plate with paper towels.  You can drizzle the left over browned butter over the scallops if you’d like.  
  • Serve immediately on top of the risotto. 

20 Comments

  1. Thank you! This looks delish and so convenient because I just happen to have some peas and risotto sitting around. Now all I need is the scallops to try this!
    Looks stunning and the sear on the scallops is divine!

  2. I don’t eat/like seafood at all, but every once in a while I see food pics that make me think of trying to overcome this dislike and trying it again. Your pics are just like that – those scallops look absolutely delicious!

    • I don’t really enjoy seafood a lot either, but a good scallop is an exception! I can’t eat many in one sitting though—2 maximum.

  4. So pretty. I just made a risotto that looks just like that one :D. I’ll be posting it tomorrow. Anyway, I’m so jealous that my blog doesn’t really allow me to cook scallops – posts like this always have me craving them!

    • I’m excited to see your risotto! To be more frugal, could you use bay scallops instead of sea scallops? I’ve never tried frozen, but maybe those would work too! 🙂 I love that your blog shows that you don’t have to spend a lot to eat well. That’s such an awesome message!

  8. It looks like Ramsey would be proud! Everything looks perfect!

  10. I love eating risotto, but have been too chicken to try making it. You’ve inspired me! Pairing it with scallops sounds wonderful.

    • You should give it a try! It’s really not hard, it’s just a little time consuming.

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