Sweet Corn Risotto with Seared Sea Scallops and Basil Salsa Verde
Sweet Corn Risotto with Seared Sea Scallops and Basil Salsa Verde is a beautiful, delicious, summery date night dinner for two! The creamy risotto pairs perfectly with the golden crust of the scallops, while the vibrant basil salsa verde adds a fresh and herbaceous finish. It's an elegant yet approachable dish sure to impress your loved one!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Basil Salsa Verde
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley leaves and stems
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Risotto
- Salt
- 3 ears fresh corn
- 2-3 cups chicken broth as needed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Scallops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 sea scallops
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Basil Salsa Verde
- Combine parsley, basil, garlic, anchovy paste and capers in a food processor or blender. Pulse until ingredients are coarsely chopped and combined.
- Add olive oil, salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Process until smooth and sauce consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.
Risotto
- Fill a stockpot approximately half full with water and generously salt. Bring to a boil.
- Carefully drop the ears of corn into the water and cook 1-2 minutes or until bright yellow in color. Using tongs, transfer to a colander and cool under cold running tap water.
- Scrape the corn kernels into a bowl, removing any excess silk from the corn. Set aside.
- Place chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- Heat butter and oil over medium-high heat in a deep skillet or saute pan.
- Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 6-7 minutes or until onion is softened. Add the garlic and cook 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Stir in the Arborio rice and cook 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the wine and cook, stirring until evaporated.
- Add the chicken broth in stages, about a full soup ladle at a time and continuing to stir until the rice is creamy and has reached the al dente stage, about 18 to 20 minutes. (You may not need all the broth.)
- Add corn kernels and heat through.
- Stir in the cream and cheese.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
Scallops
- Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Season scallops with salt and black pepper.
- Place scallops in the skillet and cook 2 minutes on the first side. Flip the scallops and cook 1-2 minutes on the other side.
- Serve risotto in bowls with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. Top with scallops and spoon some of the salsa verde over the scallops.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD:
- The basil salsa verde can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Refrigerate until needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 1363kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 94g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 60g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1831mg | Potassium: 993mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2416IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 292mg | Iron: 7mg