Seared Scallops with Artichoke Orzo Risotto For Two
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on January 2, 2024
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 2
Ingredients
Before You Begin
We recommend buying “dry” scallops, which don't have chemical additives and taste better than “wet.” Dry scallops will look ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are bright white.
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in orzo and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, artichokes, and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring often, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, vigorously stir in Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter until remaining liquid is creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Pat scallops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add scallops in single layer and cook without moving them until well browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops and continue to cook without moving them until well browned on second side, about 2 minutes.
- Stir parsley into orzo; adjust consistency with extra broth as needed. Transfer orzo to individual serving bowls, top with scallops, and serve with extra Parmesan.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 2Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Quickly seared sea scallops paired with a “risotto” made from orzo instead of rice made for an easy yet elegant dinner for two. To make it, we started by cooking minced shallot and garlic in butter to build an aromatic base for the orzo. Then we added chicken broth, chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts, and the orzo. Cooking the orzo in the broth flavored it deeply. We stirred the mixture often to help the pasta release its starches, which resulted in a creamy risotto-like consistency. Then we added some Parmesan cheese and butter off the heat to drive home the creamy texture. Some lemon juice and zest added brightness while chopped parsley added some color and fresh notes. To ensure that the scallops browned quickly and didn't overcook, we blotted any excess moisture from them before searing them quickly over high heat. Before serving, we arranged the scallops over the orzo risotto. We served them with extra Parmesan.
Before You Begin
We recommend buying “dry” scallops, which don't have chemical additives and taste better than “wet.” Dry scallops will look ivory or pinkish; wet scallops are bright white.
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in orzo and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, artichokes, and ¼ teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, stirring often, until orzo is tender and broth is mostly absorbed, 16 to 18 minutes. Off heat, vigorously stir in Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter until remaining liquid is creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Pat scallops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add scallops in single layer and cook without moving them until well browned on first side, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops and continue to cook without moving them until well browned on second side, about 2 minutes.
- Stir parsley into orzo; adjust consistency with extra broth as needed. Transfer orzo to individual serving bowls, top with scallops, and serve with extra Parmesan.
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