This scallop risotto dish doesn't take long to make, and it all comes together at the end with a quick brown butter pan sauce that gets spooned over everything. Delicious!

Preparation

Heat chicken stock to gently simmering in a sauce pot.

In a low-sided, 2-quart sauce pot, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft but not caramelized. Add mushrooms and sauté until they have released their moisture and any liquid has reduced, about 5 minutes.

Add rice and stir until evenly coated with butter. Add white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed and rice just begins to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Begin adding chicken stock to rice ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and only adding more stock once the previous addition has been absorbed. Add stock until rice is just tender and still holds its shape.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter into the rice, then turn off the heat and add the Parmesan. Stir until cheese is melted and risotto is creamy. Add more stock to desired consistency and season with salt and a few drops of lemon juice. Fold in chopped chives, cover and remove from heat.

Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat. Place scallops on a towel and blot to remove moisture, then season with salt. Add vegetable oil to the pan and sear scallops for 30–40 seconds or until golden brown. (Do not crowd the pan or scallops won’t sear properly.) Turn scallops over and sear the other side for 15–20 seconds.

Place risotto on a serving plate and top with scallops.

Drain any excess oil from the pan used to cook the scallops, then add 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt, foam and brown. Add chopped tarragon, parsley and ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, then spoon brown butter sauce over the scallops and serve.