I was walking down the aisle at the grocery and found sea scallops on sale, I couldn’t not buy them! Similarly, at the farmer’s market, my favorite vendor was selling leeks for 50 cents a piece. Butter, capers, and lemons are constant ingredients in my home, so this recipe came about out of what I found in my kitchen. The lemon and butter bring all of the ingredients together to a wonderful effect! This dinner is a bit pricey without the sales, so it makes for a wonderful date night dinner with that special someone.

Lemon and Leek Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced, green tops removed
1 1/4 cup arborio rice
4 tsp chicken stock concentrate + 4 cups water or 4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven.
2. Cook leek until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add rice and mix to coat each kernel in oil. Add chicken stock concentrate.
4. Deglaze with wine.
5. Turn heat down to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Add a cup of water. Stir and simmer until it is absorbed. Keep adding water, 1 cup at a time until all the water is used. The rice should be al dente at this point. If not, add about a half a cup more of water.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add juice and zest of lemon and Parmesan.

Sea Scallops with Brown Butter, Capers, and Lemon

8 sea scallops, about 1 pound
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp shallot, minced
3 tbsp capers, rinsed
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Dry scallops with paper towels, season and set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet. After oil is nice and hot, add the scallops. Make sure not to overcrowd them on the pan. Sauté 2-3 minutes without moving or until lightly browned. Flip and repeat.
3. Set aside on a warm plate. Cover with foil.
4. Return the pan to heat and add butter. Cook until the butter starts to foam and brown a bit.
5. Add shallot and capers, sauté for 1 minute.
6. Add lemon juice and parsley.
7. Season and adjust flavors if needed.
8. To serve, serve a cup or so of risotto, make a small indent for the scallops on top and serve with sauce drizzled over the scallops.