Sweet Corn Risotto with Diver Scallops

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Courtesy of Chef Josh Horrigan of The Chefs Academy
Serves 4

Sweet Corn Risotto with Diver Scallops

Note: At least a day ahead, begin by making corn stock and freezing it.

INGREDIENTS

For the corn stock

  • 4 fresh corn cobs (reserve kernels cut from cob for risotto)
  • 4 cups (0.9 l) water
  • 1 stalk celery, trimmed and diced small
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced small
  • 1 onion, peeled and diced small
  • 2 bay leaves

For the risotto

  • 1-1/2 cups (315 g) arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup (75 g) chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
  • 4 tablespoons (60 ml) grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 cups (480 ml) corn stock, FROZEN (recipe follows)
  • 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
  • sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
  • 4 ears corn, kernals only (cobs used in corn stock)

For the beets (optional garnish)

  • 1 golden beet, peeled
  • 1 red beet, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt

For the scallops

  • 8 Diver scallops preferably U-10 dry packed
  • Grape seed oil or clarified butter
  • Wondra flour
  • Sea salt cracked black pepper
  • Kernels of popped corn for garnish, if desired

 

INSTRUCTIONS

For the corn stock

  1. Fill and preheat the SousVide Supreme to 190F/88C.
  2. Using the side of a knife, milk the stripped cobs to remove the sweet corn milk (liquid) that is inside.
  3. Cut the cobs in half, lengthwise, and put them into a large (gallon/3.8 liter) zipper cooking pouch.
  4. Add the corn milk, the water, and the remaining ingredients for the stock and, using the displacement method (Archimedes Principle) remove the air and zip the seal.
  5. Submerge the pouch and cook for 5 hours.

For the rice and beets

  1. Fill and preheat (or reduce heat) of the SousVide Supreme to 183F/84C.
  2. Put the beets in separate small (quart/0.9 liter) cooking pouches with olive oil and salt and vacuum seal.
  3. Submerge the pouches and cook for 2-4 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, on the stovetop in a skillet over medium low heat, melt butter and lightly toast the rice and onion for about five minutes.
  5. Add the white wine and allow it to absorb fully.
  6. In a large (gallon/3.8 liter) cooking pouch, put the corn kernals, rice and onion mixture, frozen corn stock, salt and pepper.
  7. Vacuum seal the pouch, but take care not to compress the ingredients too much during the process.
  8. Submerge the pouch in the water oven (along with the beets as they finish cooking) and cook for 30 minutes.
  9. Immediately quick chill the pouch of rice, submerged in an ice water bath for 10 minutes, to release the starch. (Meanwhile, cook the scallops.)
  10. Remove the beets from pouch, drain, and brunoise cut for garnish; dress them with high quality vinegar and salt and pepper.
  11. To finish the risotto, pour the cooled rice into a shallow skillet and cook over medium high heat until the moisture is absorbed; add the parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

For the scallops

  1. Fill and preheat (or reduce the heat of) the SousVide Supreme to 122F/50C.
  2. Lightly season the scallops with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
  3. Gently place the scallops into a cooking pouch with thin slices of butter.
  4. Vacuum seal carefully. Do not allow the full amount of suction to draw the pouch down on the scallops, deforming their shape. Allow the vacuum sealer to just start to pull down on the individual scallops, than hit the cancel button and then the seal button. This will hold the scallops in place without squashing them.
  5. Submerge the pouch in the water oven and cook for 30 minutes.
  6. With five minutes left of cooking time, prepare the following:a. Season the Wondra flour with salt and pepper to taste.
    b. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet to medium high heat.
    c. Add clarified butter.
  7. Remove the scallops from the pouch (save the liquid in the pouch) and dredge both sides of the scallops lightly in the seasoned flour to aid in browning.
  8. Sear the scallops on high heat just long enough to brown the top and the bottom of each scallop. You’re not cooking the scallop –you are flash searing to get color.
  9. Transfer the scallops to a paper-towel-lined plate to pull away moisture. Hold warm.

To plate

Mound the corn risotto on the bottom of the plate and gently rest the sea scallops on top. Garnish with the brunoise of beets and a few kernals of popped corn, if desired

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