Seared Scallops With Saffron Rice Food

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat butter in heavy three-quart saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent but not brown. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until grains turn white. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, for five minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small dish and pour a cup of the hot stock over it.
• When most of the wine has evaporated, stir in a half cup of the stock and adjust the heat so the mixture cooks at a steady simmer. When most of that stock has evaporated, stir in the stock with the saffron and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue adding stock, about a half cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is just barely tender, about 15 minutes longer. You may not need to add all the remaining stock.
• Stir in scallops. Continue cooking, stirring gently, another three to five minutes, until rice is al dente and scallops are cooked. Add a little stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes; serve at once.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Make Saffron Rice: Pour stock into a medium-size pot (you will also need a tight-fitting lid). Place pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining rice ingredients. When stock is boiling, stir in the rice. Return to a boil, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Without stirring, turn off the heat and, with the lid on, leave the pot on the burner another 5 to 10 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking the rice. You can keep the rice warm for an hour or more if you need to hold it. Stir in peas if using. Before serving, fluff with two forks. Adjust seasonings, adding a little salt or another squeeze of lemon juice if needed. While the rice is cooking, saute the scallops and mushrooms: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter together over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Quickly add half of scallops to pan, flat side down. When the first side is golden brown, flip over and cook for another minute. Transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more oil or butter if needed. Having a hot pan will give you the best results. Tent scallops with foil to keep warm. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and shallot in the butter until they release their liquid and some of it has evaporated. You want the mushrooms to still be a little firm. Set on a back burner and cover to keep warm. Make the Butter-Wine Sauce: Heat wine, lemon juice, zest, garlic, shallots, and thyme sprigs in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the liquid boils, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced down to about 2 tbsp, about 10 minutes. (To help know when you've reduced the sauce enough, place 2 tbsp water in a small bowl and use it to estimate the volume.) You can make the sauce to this point and hold it for up to a day. Reheat before continuing. Remove thyme sprigs, reduce the heat to low, and start adding the pieces of butter, one or two at a time, whisking rapidly. As the butter melts, add more pieces whisking constantly. When you only have a few pieces left, remove pan from heat and whisk in the last few pieces. The finished sauce should be thick and smooth. Season to taste with salt. Add scallops to sauce to reheat them. To Plate: Place a mound of rice in center of plate and top with scallops. Pour sauce around the edge of plate and scatter mushrooms over the top. Decorate with a sprig of thyme if you like. Serve hot.

LANGOSTINO RISOTTO WITH SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Fry bacon in a large heavy pot. Remove bacon leave bacon fat in pot. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.Set aside.
• Season scallops with creole seasoning or Old Bay. Brown scallops in the same pan bacon was fried in using (bacon fat, butter, or olive oil) pan. Do not crowd the scallops or they won`t brown. Remove and set aside.
• Place water in a separate pot and bring to boil and keep hot over low heat.
• To the same pot add 1-2 tablespoons bacon fat, or olive oil or butter if needed saute the mushrooms and saute until tender and liquid has evaporated. Season with fresh cracked pepper to taste add the sun dried tomatoes. Remove from pot and set aside. Leaving as much bacon fat and oil from the sun dried tomatoes in pan.
• Add a touch of butter if needed and saute the onions 3 minutes add garlic, saffron and rice stir to coat about one minute.
• Add white wine and cook until completely absorbed.
• Stir in 1/2 cup of the simmering hot water at a time until all the water is absorbed. Stirring to prevent sticking for about 30 minutes of adding water and stirring till creamy consistency and rice is tender but firm.
• Add to the rice the mushrooms, tomatoes, langostino, cheese, parsley and seasoning.
• Plate topping with 2 to 3 scallops and crumbled bacon.
• Take note I didn`t used any salt because the cheese, the creole seasoning and bacon lends alot of salt to the dish. But if desired go ahead and season to taste.