Description
Indulge in the rich flavors of brown butter scallops paired with creamy pumpkin risotto. Learn how to create this elegant dish with our easy recipe.
Ingredients
- – 6 cups (1.4 L) chicken stock, (or veggie stock)
- – 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsalted butter, divided
- – 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- – 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- – 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- – 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems
- – 2 cups (400 g) Arborio rice
- – 1/2 cup (120 ml) fruit juice (apple or white grape)
- – 1 (15-ounce) can butternut squash purée
- – 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) freshly ground nutmeg
- – 2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- – 2 cups (200 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- – 1 pound (450 g) large prawns, cleaned
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- – 3/4 teaspoon (4 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- – 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vegetable oil
- – 4 tablespoons (60 ml) unsalted butter, divided
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat to keep it warm.
- In a frying pan on medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil until they shimmer. Cook the diced onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme leaves, and Arborio rice, and continue cooking for roughly 5 minutes, until the rice grains are clear around the edges but remain white in the center.
- Pour the fruit juice into the pan, stirring frequently until the rice fully absorbs it.
- Add about half a cup of the warmed stock to the rice, stirring regularly until the liquid is fully absorbed and the pan looks dry. Repeat this step until all the stock is used, which should take approximately 30 minutes. The rice should have a glossy appearance and a slight bite. If the desired texture is achieved before all the stock is used, you can stop adding more. Lower the heat and mix in the butternut squash, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and cream cheese, stirring until everything is well combined. Switch off the heat and gently incorporate the remaining tablespoon of butter, along with the parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If the dish appears too saucy, don’t worry; the rice will absorb more liquid while you prepare the prawns.
- Dry the prawns with a paper towel to ensure they brown well. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the prawns and cook each side for about 1 to 2 minutes, achieving a golden brown color. Continue until all prawns are cooked. Place them on a paper towel to drain. Clean the pan if necessary, then add the butter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until it turns foamy and brown. Remove it from the heat promptly.
- Divide the risotto evenly into six portions, ideally in shallow bowls, then top with the prawns and drizzle with the brown butter. Serve immediately, and you may garnish with thyme sprigs and additional parmesan cheese if you wish.
