We had my wife’s grandparents over for dinner the other night and wanted to make something really special. Knowing that they love Sea Scallops, we decided to use those as our primary protein.
From there, we really focused in on the side dishes to try to create something unique for them that would pair well with the scallops. So, we used some fresh cooking spinach and a pinch of saffron to make this flavourful and luxurious Risotto! The saffron gave the rice a rich yellow colour and a distinct bit of earthy sweetness, which played very nicely with the spinach and served to accentuate the scallops perfectly.
Don’t limit yourself to scallops though….we think this risotto would pair very nicely with white flaky fish such as flounder, cod, haddock, and even Halibut with Saffron Cream Sauce (if you want to double down on Saffron). Oh, and don’t forget about Lobster Tail (or its more economical doppelganger, Monkfish) as a potential pairing!
Time: 50 Minutes
Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
- 1 Cup Arborio Rice
- 5 Cups Vegetable Stock
- Onion
- Garlic
- Spinach
- A few pinches of Saffron stems
Method:
- Bring your vegetable stock to a simmer in a pot (preferably one with a lip for pouring).
- As your stock heats, peel, and dice your garlic and onion.
- Melt a little butter in a larger pan with tall sides, and then add your onion and garlic. Sauté until your onion begins to turn slightly opaque.
- As your onions cook, chop your spinach. When your onions are ready, add your spinach, and stir to combine and wilt.
- Add your arborio rice to the pan, and sprinkle on a pinch of saffron. Then, stir to combine, and let sit for a few minutes until your rice begins to turn opaque around the edges of each grain.
- Pour a cup of your simmering stock into your pan, cover, and allow the rice to absorb the liquid. Then, add the next cup of stock. Keep doing this until you’ve used all of your stock. At this point, your rice should be nice and fluffy.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
