courtesy of Stephen Markwick
8 large, or 12 small scallops
shavings of Parmesan, to garnish
Pesto:
125 g / 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes
50 g / 2 oz pine nuts (roasted)
2 garlic cloves
50 g / 2 oz Parmesan olive oil (see method)
Tomato Stock:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
1 stick celery
2 garlic cloves
1 leek
½ head fennel
6 tomatoes chopped (preferably tinned whole Italian plum tomatoes)
150 ml / ¼ pint white wine
900 ml / 1½ pints water
Risotto:
50 g / 2 oz butter
½ onion, finely chopped
50 g / 2 oz sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced tomato stock (see above)
250 g / 8 oz Arborio rice
about 25 g / 1 oz butter about
25 g /1oz grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra, shaved, to serve.
To make the pesto, place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a liquidizer or food processor. With the motor running, add the olive oil slowly and carefully, until it reaches the required consistency.
To make the tomato stock, heat the oil in a pan, add all the vegetables cut into a small dice, and cook briefly until softened but not coloured. Add the wine and water, bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain into a jug.
To make the risotto, heat the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the onion and cook until softened but not coloured. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir well. Add the rice and stir until well coated with the butter and transparent at the edges. Gradually add the hot tomato stock in small amounts, stirring continually, and cook gently until the rice is tender. Stir in the butter, and a little grated Parmesan.
Cut each scallop into 2 or 3 rounds depending on size, but leave the roes whole. Quickly fry the rounds in a very in a very hot pan for just a few minutes until slightly caramelised. Prick the corals and add to the pan for about 30 seconds, to cook through. Serve the risotto in 4 heated deep plates with a spoonful of pesto in the centre. Arrange the scallops in a circle around the pesto, then sprinkle with Parmesan shavings.