Shrimp and Scallop Risotto

This shrimp and scallop risotto is a luxurious and indulgent dish that is surprisingly easy to make at home. It is the perfect dinner party dish or special occasion meal. The risotto is creamy and rich, with the sweetness of the scallops and the brininess of the shrimp coming through. It is important to use good quality seafood for this dish, as it will really make a difference to the flavour. This dish can be made ahead of time and reheated or made fresh and served immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 litre (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• ½ cup white wine
• 250g (1 cup) frozen peas
• 250g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 250g scallops
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the stock over low heat. You want it to be just warm, not boiling.
2. In a separate pan, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until softened.
3. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for a minute or two, until the edges of the rice grains start to become translucent.
4. Add the white wine and cook until absorbed, stirring frequently.
5. Add a ladleful of stock to the pan and stir until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring until absorbed. This process will take about 20 minutes.
6. Add the peas and shrimp to the pan and continue cooking until the shrimp are cooked through and the peas are heated through. This will take another 5 minutes or so.
7. Add the scallops and cook for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked through.
8. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve immediately, with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Potential changes & improvements

There are a few things that could be changed or added to this recipe to change it up a bit. You could use different types of seafood, such as lobster, crab, or mussels. You could also add some chopped pancetta or bacon to the recipe for a bit of extra flavour. If you wanted to make the dish a bit more veggie-friendly, you could add some sautéed mushrooms or roasted veggies.

What other food works well with

This shrimp and scallop risotto pairs well with a simple green salad and a glass of white wine. It also goes well with roasted or grilled vegetables.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake when making risotto is to add the liquid all at once. This will make the risotto mushy and overcooked. It is important to add the liquid a little at a time and to stir frequently. Another mistake is to use too much or too little salt. Season the risotto to taste, and keep in mind that the Parmesan cheese will add some saltiness to the dish.

Nutritional Information

This shrimp and scallop risotto is a fairly high-calorie dish, due to the cheese and the seafood. Each serving has approximately 500 calories. It is also high in protein and carbs, and low in fat. This dish is not suitable for those on a low-sodium diet, as it contains quite a bit of salt.

Allergens

This recipe contains the following allergens:

• Seafood
• Dairy