There are weeknight meals and then there’s Saturday night food, the kind of dish that’s begging for a glass of slow sipping red, while enjoying good company in the kitchen. Perhaps even an Italian cooking music playlist in the backgroud! My recipe for Pesto and Tomato Confit Risotto with Sea Scallops falls squarely into that category.
To be honest, most of my cooking leans toward practicality, lean proteins, vegetable- repeat. But when Saturday rolls around, I want something a little extra, a dish that feels worthy of lingering at the table over good food and fantastic conversation.
Flavor filled risotto is the perfect dinner party dish because it forces you to stay in the kitchen, stirring and chatting while guests gather near, with wine in hand. We know everyone always ends up in the kitchen any way!
Pro-Tips:
Choose the right rice. You need a short grain rice like Arborio, but if you want to take things up a notch, try Acquerello rice. This rice is aged for at least a year to bump up the flavor and because of a patented process, the germ of the rice grain is reintegrated giving it the nutritive profile of brown rice. Fancy huh?
Keep it simple. Start with a crisp salad, serve the risotto with perfectly seared scallops and finish with something light and tart for a great balance.
Enjoy the process. Risotto isn’t a set it and forget it dish, but that’s what makes it fun. It’s slow cooking at it’s best- stir, sip, repeat!
Next time you want to make a meal that’s really special and impressive without too much work, try my Pesto and Tomato Confit Risotto with Sea Scallops and dont be surprised if friends start showing up at your door on Saturday night!
Pesto and Tomato Confit Risotto with Sea Scallops
4 tablespoons butter divided
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
1½ cups Acquerello rice
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
¼ cup white wine
1 tablespoon basil pesto
¼ cup tomato confit
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 pound or 16 sea scallops
Salt to taste
In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth and water to a boil then reduce to simmer. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large chef’s pan. Grate the onion into the melted butter and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and sundried tomatoes and cook 1 minute more. Add rice and stir until grains start to swell and are coated well with butter about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add broth 1/2 cup at a time letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more and stirring almost continuously. Continue this process until all of the liquid has been incorporated. Check rice, if it is still too al dente; add a bit more water in the same procedure. Season salt scallops with salt. In a small skillet melt remaining butter over medium heat, when sizzling, add the scallops and cook until they are brown, about 3 minutes, before turning to cook the other side. If scallops are large, they may need a few more minutes in the pan over medium to low heat. Remove the scallops and set aside. Deglaze the pan using the white wine. Add the deglazed liquid to the risotto along with the confit tomatoes. Stir well until liquid is incorporates. Add the pesto and parmesan and mix. Plate the risotto and place scallops on top.
Basil Pesto
1½ cups fresh basil compacted
2 garlic cloves
½ cup walnuts
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Place basil, garlic, walnuts, salt in food processor and pulse until smooth. Add parmesan, olive oil and process until mixed well. Use immediately or cover to the surface with plastic wrap to avoid oxidation.
Tomato Confit
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
8 Roma tomatoes seeded and cut in quarters
8-10 fresh basil leaves torn
3 cloves garlic pressed
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch of fresh thyme
½-1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a roasting pan with parchment paper. Place all ingredients for the confit on the prepared pan and toss well to mix all ingredients. Spread the tomatoes out to form a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove pan and stir and replace in the oven for another 20 minutes. If tomatoes are still very wet, continue roasting in 10-minute intervals until mixture has a jam-like texture. Store the tomato confit in the refrigerator until needed.
I like to make up a large batch of pesto and freeze it in small amounts so when I need pesto, I have it. I also make large recipes of tomato confit. It really amps up the flavor of so many dishes. You can store it in the refrigerator for several weeks or freeze it until needed!
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