Scallops and black pudding- a classic combination. Almost as classic (and commonplace) as the classic scallops, peas, bacon combo that so often graces tables, TV screens and Come Dine With Me/Amateur MasterChef shows across the nation, if not world. Not to disparage it- pea, scallop and bacon go perfectly and are delicious, but I am just bored stiff now by it. The culinary equivalent of sitting next to Uncle Jeff at the Christmas dinner table, hearing about his job in IT.
I have tried to bring a little bit of life to this combination by mixing it up and bringing in the big risotto guns. It’s a good dinner party starter – you can even make the risotto for dinner the night before, reheat it and use it with this. Although of course, that is definitely not how this most carefully composed and thought out recipe came about…..
Only joking – it’s great. People will like it. Classic cooking, tasting good, happy days.
I have tried to bring a little bit of life to this combination by mixing it up and bringing in the big risotto guns. It’s a good dinner party starter – you can even make the risotto for dinner the night before, reheat it and use it with this. Although of course, that is definitely not how this most carefully composed and thought out recipe came about…..
Only joking – it’s great. People will like it. Classic cooking, tasting good, happy days.
Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4):
For the risotto:
2 handfuls Arborio risotto
1 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 black pudding sausage, roughly chopped
butter
oil
salt/pepper
800ml approx. chicken stock
glug white wine, optional
lemon juice
12 hand dived scallops (3 each for a starter, 4 each or more for a lunch/main)
Optional: chopped/minced basil, olive oil, lemon juice
Ingredients (serves 4):
For the risotto:
2 handfuls Arborio risotto
1 white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 black pudding sausage, roughly chopped
butter
oil
salt/pepper
800ml approx. chicken stock
glug white wine, optional
lemon juice
12 hand dived scallops (3 each for a starter, 4 each or more for a lunch/main)
Optional: chopped/minced basil, olive oil, lemon juice
Method:
1. For the risotto: Heat some oil in a large pan and saute the onion until soft over medium heat, approx. 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a further minute. Add the risotto rice and a knob of butter and saute for approx. 2 minutes until the risotto rice has gone a little translucent. Make sure to keep it moist with the butter and moving constantly in the pan.
2. Add the white wine (optional) and leave to bubble for 3o seconds or so. Add a glug of the stock and stir continuously until it has all been absorbed. Add another glug of stock and repeat. Repeat this step, continuously stirring to make sure it is creamy, until the risotto rice is soft and cooked through – you might not even need all the stock, judge by the rice.
3. While this is going on, fry off your black pudding in a separate pan until soft and cooked through.
4. When your risotto is finished add your black pudding and stir through. Season with plenty of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir a big knob of butter through. Put to one side and leave until later. As I say – you can make this earlier and just serve up when you need it with the scallops.
5. For the scallops: put a non-stick frying pan on to heat over high heat. Add a very small knob of butter to grease the pan a little, but otherwise leave it dry, no oil. The pan should be smoking hot. Pat your scallops dry, season with a little salt and place into the pan carefully. Don’t cook 16 of them in one pan – you don’t want to overcrowd the pan so it loses its heat. If required do in batches or have several pans going. Leave to cook on one side for about 1 minute. Don’t be moving it around loads, just leave them alone to cook so that they can get a good crust on. You can occasionally use your fingers to just move it slightly to make sure that it isn’t sticking, but don’t be stirring them around the pan with a spoon.
After about a minute, when the first side has a nice golden crust on it, turn it onto the other side. You can add a spoonful of butter at this point if you want to baste them with. Fry on this side for about another 40 seconds. Season with a little salt and pepper. At this point remove from the pan and place to one side.
6. Plate by spooning 4 little islands of risotto onto the plate and by placing a scallop on top of each.
7. Optional: mix some chopped up basil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil together and drizzle around the plate – it looks pretty and adds a little zing!
1. For the risotto: Heat some oil in a large pan and saute the onion until soft over medium heat, approx. 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a further minute. Add the risotto rice and a knob of butter and saute for approx. 2 minutes until the risotto rice has gone a little translucent. Make sure to keep it moist with the butter and moving constantly in the pan.
2. Add the white wine (optional) and leave to bubble for 3o seconds or so. Add a glug of the stock and stir continuously until it has all been absorbed. Add another glug of stock and repeat. Repeat this step, continuously stirring to make sure it is creamy, until the risotto rice is soft and cooked through – you might not even need all the stock, judge by the rice.
3. While this is going on, fry off your black pudding in a separate pan until soft and cooked through.
4. When your risotto is finished add your black pudding and stir through. Season with plenty of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir a big knob of butter through. Put to one side and leave until later. As I say – you can make this earlier and just serve up when you need it with the scallops.
5. For the scallops: put a non-stick frying pan on to heat over high heat. Add a very small knob of butter to grease the pan a little, but otherwise leave it dry, no oil. The pan should be smoking hot. Pat your scallops dry, season with a little salt and place into the pan carefully. Don’t cook 16 of them in one pan – you don’t want to overcrowd the pan so it loses its heat. If required do in batches or have several pans going. Leave to cook on one side for about 1 minute. Don’t be moving it around loads, just leave them alone to cook so that they can get a good crust on. You can occasionally use your fingers to just move it slightly to make sure that it isn’t sticking, but don’t be stirring them around the pan with a spoon.
After about a minute, when the first side has a nice golden crust on it, turn it onto the other side. You can add a spoonful of butter at this point if you want to baste them with. Fry on this side for about another 40 seconds. Season with a little salt and pepper. At this point remove from the pan and place to one side.
6. Plate by spooning 4 little islands of risotto onto the plate and by placing a scallop on top of each.
7. Optional: mix some chopped up basil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some olive oil together and drizzle around the plate – it looks pretty and adds a little zing!
Beautiful scallops
