Tired of the usual summer grill options? Elevate your summer grilling with this delicious combo of scallops and risotto infused with your favorite summer barbecue flavors! Sweet, savory, unexpected, and perfect for a summer evening that needs to feel a bit more special!
Well, well, it’s been a minute or two since I’ve spent some time in this space! There’s been a lot happening behind the scenes, work and life changes, job changes, and prioritizing life and family a bit more. So that means there’s also been a lot of recipe testing and development behind the scenes, too, and I’m happy to be able to share a few new ones!
They all fall into the category that my husband has lovingly termed “bougie-Q.” I like to think of myself as a fan of the simple life, family, friends, home cooking, and as such, I threw my retirement ceremony and party as a backyard barbecue in our best friends’ back yard. Except we had it catered and there were nice wines and charcuterie boards and…you get the picture. Home cooking but make it high-end.
And that’s what a lot of my recipes end up turning into (or at least that’s the plan!). This one is no exception.
Hello, beautiful!
One of the things helping us with high-end grilling has been our subscription to ButcherBox. I came across a recommendation for it in my fitness app and gave it a try, and we’ve been using it ever since! Once a month, we get a box with great options we select, from steaks to chicken cuts to ground meats to seafood, including these gorgeous diver scallops. Using my referral link, you can get a free box (plus shipping)! If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it goes and what you decide to make!
But back to the scallops.
Scallops, IMHO, are cooked best when seared in their own juices for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side, and that’s how I cook these. However, once cooked, that’s when you can have fun with sauces and seasonings and additional flavors. Here, we bring in a combination of brown butter and maple-mustard glaze to really elevate the flavors and give you tangy hints of your favorite barbecue sauce.
I love them best served on top of fresh summer flavors in this sweet and smooth tomato and corn risotto! Both recipes are here below!
Brown Butter Bacon Scallops with Tomato Corn Risotto
Ingredients
For the Risotto
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 2 ears corn kernels cut off
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup finely diced tomato
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 shallots finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 sprigs thyme fresh
- salt and pepper to taste
- basil fresh, chopped or torn
- lemon wedge
For the Scallops
- 1 lb large diver scallops
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch cayenne
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 strips bacon crisped and crumbled
Instructions
- Start with the risotto. In a large flat-bottomed pan, add 4 tbsp unsalted butter and melt. Then add the shallots and cook about 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, and cook another minute.
- Toss the rice to coat. Add the paprika and stir while toasting the rice. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Then add the stock and cook until the stock is absorbed and the rice is slightly al dente, about 30 minutes.
- Add the corn and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the Parmesan and fold in the tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then set the risotto aside.
- Whisk together the maple syrup, mustard, cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne to form the glaze. Set aside.
- Pull the side muscle or "foot" off the scallops. Pat them extremely dry with paper towels and then season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Get your grill or your pan screaming hot. You want to get a good sear on these scallops! Grill 2 min each side, and in the last 30 seconds, baste them with maple mustard glaze. The scallops should be opaque.
- Melt the butter over medium heat until it turns golden and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes.
- Plate the risotto and then serve the scallops either on or beside the risotto (we prefer on top). Scatter crumbled bacon on top and plate with some additional glaze and the brown butter drizzled over, and a squeeze of lemon!
