Fresh sea scallops are pan seared and served over creamy, cheesy corn risotto for the perfect summer dish!
I don't know about you guys but I'm just not ready for summer to end. While I adore all things pumpkin, cozy fall scents and fall decor, I'm always sad to see the long, warm days come to an end.
To savor all the tastes of summer, I made this amazing Seared Sea Scallops over Creamy Corn Risotto recipe highlighting one of my favorite summer ingredients - sweet corn!
The risotto is certainly a star in this dish. Arborio rice is cooked with broth, sweet corn, and scallions until tender. Heavy cream and lots of Parmesan cheese is added for maximum creaminess.
The co-star of the dish, fresh pan-seared sea scallops, are perfectly seasoned and placed right on top to complete this creamy, summery dish!
Making Seared Sea Scallops over Creamy Corn Risotto
We start by making the corn risotto as the scallops only take a few minutes to prepare.
Corn Risotto
Shuck corn and remove corn from cob by standing corn cob on top of a small bowl placed inside in a larger bowl or dish and slicing down the cob with a sharp knife, removing corn. Once all corn is removed from cob, take the back of the knife and press down along the length of the cob to get all of the "milk" into the dish with the corn. This process sounds complicated, but it's super easy!
Next, heat four tablespoons of butter or extra virgin oil over medium high heat in a large saucepan and add onion and corn with the "milk" to the pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes then add garlic and rice and stir to coat evenly.
Cook rice for 2-3 minutes to lightly toast. Reduce heat to medium then add ¼ of the broth, stirring continuously. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Once broth is absorbed and another ¼ of the broth, stirring continuously. Repeat the process until all of the broth is used and rice is tender, about 30-35 minute total.
Stir in scallions and heavy cream and season with more salt and pepper to taste. I also like to add a little bit of sugar at this point to really highlight the sweetness of the corn but this step is totally optional. I added about a tablespoon each of white and coconut sugar. The coconut sugar has a nice caramel note to it which is a wonderful touch in this risotto.
I also add a pinch of cayenne to the risotto. The subtle hint of heat plays amazingly well with the sweetness of the corn. Again, this is totally optional. Another optional seasoning I added is Auntie Nono's Everything Seasoning - it's perfectly balanced and delicious!
Stir risotto to evenly incorporate all of the ingredients. Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan. Set risotto aside while you cook the scallops.
Seared Sea Scallops
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet.
Season scallops on each side with salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg and cayenne. If nutmeg and cayenne are too overpowering for your taste, you may omit these spices. I do recommend trying at least a couple with the nutmeg as the flavor is a nice compliment to the sweet scallops!
Saute scallops for 3-4 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through.
Divide risotto evenly among four plates and top with scallops. Garnish with fresh sliced scallions or parsley if desired!
You can store any leftovers in an air tight container for up to three days!
You Will Also Love this Lemony Orzo with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Peas Recipe!
Seared Sea Scallops Over Creamy Corn Risotto
Ingredients
Corn Risotto
- 2 ears sweet summer corn shucked and removed from cob, see post above for details
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1.25 cups arborio rice
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon scallions green and white parts, sliced
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
Seared Sea Scallops
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1.5 lb sea scallops
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Corn Risotto
- Heat butter over medium high heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and corn with "milk" to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes to lightly toast. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add ¼ of broth. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Cook until broth is absorbed, stirring frequently. Repeat the process until all or most of the broth is used and rice is tender. About 25-30 minutes total. Stir in heavy cream and scallions and cook for a few minutes longer. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan
Seared Sea Scallops
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet
- Season both sides of scallops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg and cayenne
- Saute scallops for 3-4 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through
- Divide risotto evenly among 4 plates. Top each plate with 4-6 scallops (depending on size) and garnish with sliced scallions if desired.
Notes
- See notes included in the post above for tips on removing corn from the cob!
- You may not use all of the broth while cooking the risotto. Check the tenderness of your rice before adding the last batch of broth to determine how much is needed.
- I also added a small amount of sugar ( about a tablespoon) and a pinch cayenne to my risotto. The sugar really highlights the sweetness of the corn and the pinch of cayenne plays so well with the sweetness. Give it a try if you're feeling adventurous!
- You may omit the nutmeg and cayenne from the scallops if they are a bit overpowering for your taste. However, I find that the flavors compliment the mildness and sweetness of the scallops beautifully!
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