Brown Butter Bacon Scallops with Tomato Corn Risotto
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!
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!
Notes
Crusty sourdough goes great with this as well, if you don't mind the extra startch.