What a find this recipe is: elegant, decadent, and low in calories!
Let's start with the scallops. As an avid watcher of Hell's Kitchen, I can almost hear Chef Ramsey yelling at me when I cook scallops not to let them die. They are so easy to cook and so easy to get wrong. Make sure your pan is super hot and oiled or buttered and just cook them until done. Thirty seconds on either side and you will totally ruin them. The key is to sear each side quickly. Because they are small, the center will cook fast.
Now on to the risotto. Risotto is not hard to make. Really. It just takes a little patience. Finding the rice can be a pain. You'll need Arborio or Carnaroli rice. I've found Arborio rice at Trader Joe's. You'll need these rices that can be really absorbent to soak up all of the stock for maximal flavor. You may not need all of the stock you're using. Make sure you check your rice as you go along. As soon as it is soft enough to eat, take it off the heat source and stop adding liquid. No one likes a mushy risotto. There should be a little chewiness left in your rice.
The BEST part of this risotto that is made with delicious white wine and Parmesan? It's 481 calories a serving!
Let's start with the scallops. As an avid watcher of Hell's Kitchen, I can almost hear Chef Ramsey yelling at me when I cook scallops not to let them die. They are so easy to cook and so easy to get wrong. Make sure your pan is super hot and oiled or buttered and just cook them until done. Thirty seconds on either side and you will totally ruin them. The key is to sear each side quickly. Because they are small, the center will cook fast.
Now on to the risotto. Risotto is not hard to make. Really. It just takes a little patience. Finding the rice can be a pain. You'll need Arborio or Carnaroli rice. I've found Arborio rice at Trader Joe's. You'll need these rices that can be really absorbent to soak up all of the stock for maximal flavor. You may not need all of the stock you're using. Make sure you check your rice as you go along. As soon as it is soft enough to eat, take it off the heat source and stop adding liquid. No one likes a mushy risotto. There should be a little chewiness left in your rice.
The BEST part of this risotto that is made with delicious white wine and Parmesan? It's 481 calories a serving!
Source: Skinnytaste.com
Risotto
Servings: 3 • Size: 3/4 cup • Time: 30 minutes • Calories: 309
Heat chicken stock in a small pot.
In a medium size heavy sauce pan, add butter on medium-low heat. Add shallots,saute about 1 minute. Add rice mixing well until well coated and translucent about 2 minutes. Add wine, salt and pepper and mix well until it is absorbed into the rice.Ladle 1 cup stock into rice and mix until all stock is absorbed, add another ladle, and continue adding and stirring until all broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.
Scallops
Servings: 3 • Size: 5 oz • Time: 10 minutes • Calories: 172
Wash scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium size pan on a high flame. When pan is hot, melt 1 tsp butter and place half of the scallops in the pan. Sear without touching them for a few minutes until the bottom forms a nice caramel colored crust. Turn over and cook about another minute or 2, until the center is slightly translucent (you can check this by viewing them from the side) and the bottom is seared. Be careful not to overcook. Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate. Add addition tsp butter and cook remaining scallops.
Add olive oil to the pan and saute shallots, add spinach, salt and pepper. Toss until spinach wilts.
Serve over spinach over risotto topped with scallops.
Risotto
Servings: 3 • Size: 3/4 cup • Time: 30 minutes • Calories: 309
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups fat free chicken stock
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Heat chicken stock in a small pot.
In a medium size heavy sauce pan, add butter on medium-low heat. Add shallots,saute about 1 minute. Add rice mixing well until well coated and translucent about 2 minutes. Add wine, salt and pepper and mix well until it is absorbed into the rice.Ladle 1 cup stock into rice and mix until all stock is absorbed, add another ladle, and continue adding and stirring until all broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.
Scallops
Servings: 3 • Size: 5 oz • Time: 10 minutes • Calories: 172
- 16 oz (about 12-14) sea scallops
- salt and fresh pepper
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 10 oz baby spinach, washed
Wash scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium size pan on a high flame. When pan is hot, melt 1 tsp butter and place half of the scallops in the pan. Sear without touching them for a few minutes until the bottom forms a nice caramel colored crust. Turn over and cook about another minute or 2, until the center is slightly translucent (you can check this by viewing them from the side) and the bottom is seared. Be careful not to overcook. Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate. Add addition tsp butter and cook remaining scallops.
Add olive oil to the pan and saute shallots, add spinach, salt and pepper. Toss until spinach wilts.
Serve over spinach over risotto topped with scallops.
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