Sarasota's Shrimp And Scallops With Creamy Risotto

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 small onion, fine chopped
• 1/2 cup fennel, thin sliced
• 1/2 cup wine
• 5 cups chicken stock (you may only use 4 1/2, but i always have just a little extra)
• 1/4 cup cream
• 3 cups kale, stems removed and chopped fine
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 15 large shrimp (peeled, tails removed)
• 15 sea scallops
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Recipe

• 1 seafood -- make sure all the seafood is cleaned and room temp or at least out of the refrigerator to take the chill off.
• 2 risotto --
• 3 step 1: in a large sauce pan, heat the oil to medium heat and add the onion, fennel and cook until tender. it should take 4-5 minutes. add the rice and cook another couple of minutes until slightly brown and rice absorbs the oil and the flavors of the onion and the fennel. it will take just a couple of minutes. add in the wine and cook another minute or so until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
• 4 step 2: chicken broth - make sure to heat up your chicken broth in a small sauce pan on the stove so you can add a little at a time.
• 5 step 3: slowly add a little chicken broth to the rice mixture, a little (1 cup) at a time until it is all absorbed. don't forget to stir. when almost all the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes), add in the kale and cook another 5 minutes. then add in the butter and cream and stir and remove from the heat and cover. i have read that risotto takes exactly so many minutes. well every time i have made it. never the same amount of time. so about 20-25 minutes is what i use. just check it.
• 6 seafood -- first, season the scallops with salt and pepper. and then in a medium sauce pan (no non-stick if possible), heat up the butter to medium high heat. add the scallops and cook 1-2 minutes per side. don't move the scallops after you add them to the pan - let them cook. after 1-2 minutes the scallops should easily move and golden brown on one side. flip and cook the other side. the second side will only take a minute (less time). remove to a plate while you cook the shrimp. the shrimp again, just 2 maybe 3 minutes if that. just when they start to curl and they turn pink remove and add to the scallops.
• 7 finish -- if the risotto is too thick, just add a little chicken broth. check for seasoning, salt and pepper; and add in the scallops, shrimp and parsley. toss well and top with grated parmesan.