Creamy Pesto Baked Risotto With Sea Scallops
This recipe is the comings together of many different spheres of influence in my life. For one, the creamy vegan pesto was largely the necessary product of my mother’s overgrown basil plant in our backyard. Where basil mojitos tend to be a summer drink of choice, one can only drink so many before becoming positively drunk. Alternatively, last fall, I had dinner at Lola Taverna, a Mediterranean restaurant in Lower Manhattan with fabulous cocktails and even better food. I ordered the most delicious creamy, pesto-ey orzo with shrimp. Since then, in which time I consulted a nutritionist who confirmed that was both lactose and gluten intolerant, I have thought about that meal, among others, and how I wish I could have it again. Minus the fairy lights and the pre-warm ambiance, this homemade gluten-free and dairy-free alternative makes up for what was lost. Ultimately, this recipe was created out of the persistent belief that food should only exist for its multifaceted means of making oneself feel good. This recipe is bright, flavorful, super easy, and meant to be shared.
Risotto
Serves: 4-6
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion diced
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
4 cups veggie stock + 1 cup veggie stock
1/2 cup dry white wine (pinot grigio or sav blanc is best)
Pesto:
1 cup cashes (about 160 grams)
1 heaping cup basil
4 tbsp olive oil (avocado oil would also work)
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic
Juice from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tsp salt (more for taste)
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions:
To begin, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Additionally, boil water and pour over cashews until they are covered. Allow cashews to sit.
In an oven-proof dutch oven or cast iron pan (that fits with a lid), heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Once the garlic starts to sizzle, add in onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Once the onions are soft, add in rice and allow to toast for 1-2 minutes with the heat still on medium, stirring constantly to avoid burning. The rice will take on a slightly darker color but try to avoid browning.
After a couple of minutes, turn the heat off and add initial 2 (or 4) cups of veggie stock. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, until almost all of the liquid has dissolved.
While the rice bakes, make your pesto. Strain cashews and add to a blender (or food processor). Add basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, water, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes. Blend on high until smooth. Set aside.
Once the rice has baked, remove from oven and uncover. Add additional cup of veggie stock and white wine and stir until incorporated.
Fold in the pesto, using a spatula to scape the edges of the blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Sea Scallops*
I used to be terrified of cooking scallops mostly because Gordon Ramsey on Master Chef made them seem like the easiest thing in the world to get wrong. But, having exhausted all of the different ways to eat salmon, I mustered up the courage to try. And it turns out, just as easy as they might be to get wrong, scallops are exceptionally easy to get right. One serving is about 4-5 large scallops—I usually go to the market day of to ensure freshness and prepare them in the following way. This recipe is for one serving of scallops and can be adjusted easily for crowds or dinner parties. (*Always SEA scallops, never bay scallops, personal preference but also I think they are just better.)
Directions:
In a medium pan over medium heat, add about 1 tbsp olive oil (per serving). Add one clove of garlic and allow to cook until garlic is lightly golden.
Salt and pepper your scallops generously on both sides. Once the garlic has some color, add your scallops to the pan. Cook for two minutes, without disturbing or moving in the pan.
After 2 minutes, gently flip your scallops to the other side (in the order you placed them in the pan). Add 1 tbsp of dry white wine (same from the risotto) and the juice from 1/4 lemon. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Once scallops are cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately over risotto, drizzling the wine/lemon/oil/garlic mixture over the dish. Garnish with fresh lemon zest or basil.
For the Pesto:
1/2 cup cashes (about 160 grams)
1/2 heaping cup basil
2 tbsp olive oil (avocado oil would also work)
1/4 cup water
1 cloves garlic
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Zest from 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt (more for taste)
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes