Wayne Sych, culinary director at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chophouse, shows how to make a comforting dish using fall flavours.
Ingredients:
Risotto:
- 600-700 g large scallops
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 L vegetable or chicken stock
- 500 ml arborio rice
- 2 shallots, minced
- 120 ml white wine
- 30 ml olive oil
- 45 ml butter
- 120 ml fresh grated parmesan cheese
Roasting Mushrooms:
- 454 g fresh assorted mushrooms, sliced
- 30 ml olive oil
- 45 ml white wine, water, or stock
- Salt and pepper
Scallops:
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper
Fried Prosciutto and Sage:
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 3-4 slices prosciutto, sliced crossways ½ inch thick
- 5-6 fresh sage leaves
Instructions:
Roasting Mushrooms:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Spread mushrooms on a parchment-lined baking sheet, drizzle with 30ml olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast mushrooms for 17-20 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- While still warm, blend half of the roasted mushrooms with white wine, water, or stock until smooth. Set aside for the risotto. This step can be done in advance.
Risotto:
- Bring vegetable or chicken stock to a simmer.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, sauté shallots in olive oil until soft.
- Add rice and stir until lightly toasted (1-2 minutes).
- Pour in the wine, stir until slightly evaporated.
- Add hot stock, one cup at a time, stirring continuously until liquid is evaporated before adding more.
- Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is al dente.
- Fold in the roasted and pureed mushrooms, then add parmesan cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon into serving dishes and top with seared scallops.
Scallops:
- Heat vegetable oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Pat scallops dry with paper towel, season with salt and pepper.
- Sear scallops until golden brown on each side (1-2 minutes per side), ensuring they are cooked no more than medium.
Fried Prosciutto and Sage:
- Heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat.
- Place prosciutto in the pan and stir until crispy (1-2 minutes).
- Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add sage leaves to the pan and fry until crispy (about 30 seconds).
- Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. This can be made a couple of hours ahead of time.