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This is an elegant seafood risotto. Scallops are excellent; shrimp lovers can adapt the recipe to their taste. Or combine by splitting the two.

Ingredients:

• two cups of Arborio rice (or the two other approved varieties)
• one and one half pounds of scallops or of shrimp
• five cups of fish (or vegetable or chicken) stock
• one small onion, finely diced
• three tablespoons of olive oil
• three-quarters cup dry white wine
• two tablespoons chopped parsley
• one-half cup freshly grated parmesan
• four tablespoons of butter
• salt and pepper

Scallops: wash the scallops to remove sand. Blot with a paper towel to dry. If you have the small bay scallops, leave as is. For the larger sea scallops, chop them roughly. In a saute pan over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add the scallops. Stir constantly. Cook until they are barely white, maybe two minutes. Remove from the heat.

Shrimp: Bring two quarts of water to a boil in a large pan.. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, barely done. Remove the shrimp, drain, and let them cool. Peel them and set them aside.

to cook: (a more detailed and elaborate description of the risotto cooking technique can be found at how to cook risotto).

Bring the stock to a slow simmer in a pan next to the risotto pan. In a thick-bottomed pan (the risotto pan), over medium-high heat: add  three tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Add the onion. Cook until soft. Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated. Add the half cup of white wine. Cook and stir until it is absorbed by the rice, about two minutes. Add salt. Now add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, only adding another ladle when the previous ladle of liquid has been absorbed, stirring almost all of the time. Continue adding the ladles of stock until the rice is properly done: twenty minutes or so.

In the last few minutes, say at minute fifteen, add the scallops or the shrimp. Continue the risotto cooking process, which should take another couple of minutes.

Determine proper doneness by tasting regularly. When it is just al dente, with a little creaminess, it is ready.

Take off the heat. Stir in the final tablespoon of butter and the parmesan.. Taste for salt.  We let it sit, covered, for a minute or two. Serve.

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