Ingredients
1.5 lb Sea Scallops
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 ea butternut squash, peeled and cubed into small pieces
1 cup onions, finely chopped
3 ea whole garlic clove, finely minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
7 cups hot vegetable or chicken broth
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. salted butter
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Direction:
Pre-heat oven to 200ºF.
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium to high heat and add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, butternut squash, ½ cup onions, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until butternut squash is tender. Add white wine and freshly grated nutmeg and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. Transfer mixture into a food processor reserving about 1 cup on the side for garnish and then puree until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring your broth to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Keep on the burner to stay hot.
Using the same large non-stick skillet, place on medium heat and add the remaining olive oil, onion and garlic. Cook until garlic and onions are soft and then add rice. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
Add 4 cups of hot broth to the rice and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the broth is absorbed. Make sure you stir frequently. After about 10 minutes, add pumpkin puree and repeat step#4 three more times by adding 1 cup of the broth, stirring constantly and let it get absorbed by the rice. After the last step, rice should be al dente. Place in a 200ºF oven to keep hot.
On another non-stick skillet on medium-high heat, add salted butter and let it melt until golden brown. Add Sea Scallops seasoned lightly with salt and black pepper. Sear for about 2-3 minutes per side.
Bring out your risotto out from the oven and add unsalted butter and freshly grated Parmesan. Stir until the butter is melted and risotto is creamy.
Plate the risotto and top it with seared sea scallops. Garnish with the reserved butternut squash, herb of choice and a light dust of freshly grated nutmeg.
Serve immediately.