Squid ink risotto with pan-fried scallop or fried squid tentacles

Another variation on the risotto theme. This one is interesting because of the striking color!  


serves: 4        difficulty: medium      prep time: 30-40 min


Ingredients

for the risotto

  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 1 1/3 cups of Arborio rice (1/3 cup rice per person is portioned for a middle course. Increase to 1/2 cup per person if this is a main course).
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tbs squid ink. You need to find a good fish monger – such as San Francisco Fish Co in the Ferry Building – because this is not an ingredient that grocery stores carry. It is usually sold frozen, and keeps in the freezer for a long time.
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

garnish

  • 8 scallops or
  • tentacles from 4 squids
  • 1 tbs all purpose flour – if using tentacles
  • 8 cherry tomatoes
  • zest from one lemon

suggested equipment


Preparation

To prepare the risotto, follow the directions for plain risotto. The only modification is that once you add the white wine, you will also add the squid ink.

IMG_0489

Note that you will not use any cheese or cheese rind since this is a seafood risotto, and for the Italian purists mixing seafood and cheese is a cardinal sin.

Quarter each cherry tomato.  Zest the lemon.

To prepare the pan-fired scallops, follow the directions in the Pan Fried Scallops over Sautéed Cauliflower post.

To prepare the squid tentacles, roll them in flour and fry them for 2 min.

To serve, plate the risotto in risotto plates, and top with the fried scallops, cherry tomatoes, and lemon zest….

 

…or with the fried tentacles, cherry tomatoes (which I seem to have skipped on the picture) and lemon zest.

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