Shrimp and Scallop Risotto

Hello dear Steemian friends everywhere! Good day and welcome.

Are you hungry and ready to eat? Cause today, we’ll be cooking rice. How do we cook rice? Well, rice can be cooked in various ways in every parts of the world.

One of them is a dish named “Risotto.” Risotto is an Italian word for a rice dish from Northern Italy where this dish originally comes from and cooked in a broth. The broth that is used for this type of cooking can come from any source of meat, vegetables, and fish. In Italy, one of the many types and common ways of cooking rice is with wine, butter or olive oil, and onions. The dish is usually served before the main course. Today, in Italy; however, there are many regional variations in cooking this type of dish.

And although the dish can be made with different types of ingredients, the rice is the main component of all the ingredients that this recipe is based on as well as the method and procedures of cooking that this dish requires for until completion. The rice doesn’t need to be washed, so that way it retains the starch which is needed for its creaminess texture when cooked. Washing the rice would remove the creaminess of this dish. So, don’t do it.
Hence, short-grain rice such as Carnaroli, Arborio, Marattelli, and Vialone are said to be the best rice to use when cooking this type of recipe because of its starchiness, creaminess, and consistency that this dish is designed for in the first place (Wikipedia).

And the name of the food that I am preparing is “Shrimp and Scallop Risotto.” So, as you can see this is pretty much in the category of seafood. I love and enjoy eating seafood among many other versions or variations of making risotto. I hope you love to eat seafood too.

For me, this dish is indeed very delightful to eat. The combination of shrimp, scallops, lemon zest, onions, and pepper are indeed savory and appealing to the taste along with the tender crunchiness of the asparagus and corn as well as the sweetness that comes with it, is just wonderfully yummy. The rice is so creamy with the fragrant of the cheese in it. And so for me, this dish is one or among of my favorites that’s to die for. It is simply very yummy. Try making this dish and I think you’ll agree that this is authentically delicious.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. medium shrimp, cut into bite pieces
1/2 lb. scallop, cut into bite pieces
2 c. Carnaroli or Arborio rice
1/2 c. onions, chopped, divided
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 1/2 c. chicken stock, very warm
1 c. asparagus tips
1 c. corn from a can of summer crisp golden sweet corn
1/2 c. parmigiana-reggiano cheese, grated
1 fresh red chili pepper, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp lemon zest from the lemon
2 tbl Italian parsley, chopped

Steps and Procedures:

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onions until soften.

Add scallops, shrimp; lemon zest, salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a microwave oven or stove top, heat stock for about 1.5 minutes to make it warm.

In a medium Dutch pan or skillet, over medium heat, heat olive oil and saute’ onions until soften. Add rice. Stir occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until it becomes opaque.

Pour in the stock, stir, and cover. Let it cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or so until water is almost completely absorbed.

Add corn, red chili, pepper. Cover and let it cook for 3-5 minutes.

Add shrimp mixture, asparagus, and when rice is firm to the taste, drizzle 2 tsp lemon juice over it. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Then add and stir-in cheese and mix thoroughly. Remove pan from heat.

Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve with Naan roasted garlic bread. Share with family and friends. Happy eating and enjoy it!

Images: Taken from my iPhone6+