Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the risotto

• 2 cups / 475 ml vegetable broth, possibly homemade + 1/2 cup / 120 ml water to make a light vegetable broth
• 1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• Leaves of two thyme sprigs
• 1 cup / 200 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano or Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons / 30 ml white wine, not cold
• Juice of one orange, about 1/3 cup / 80 ml; before juicing the orange, grate the zest
• 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano OR 2 tablespoons mascarpone, cream cheese or fresh chèvre
• Sea salt, to taste

For the (optional) scallops

• 8 scallops
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• Fine sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Orange juice, to taste
• Reserved orange zest

Instructions

Bring the broth to a simmer in a small pan and maintain it at that temperature.

In the meantime, in a larger pan, warm up the olive oil, then add the shallot and thyme. Cook on low until the shallot is translucent, then add the rice and stir.

Let the rice toast for one minute, then add the white wine and stir. Let the wine evaporate, while stirring the rice, then start adding the simmering broth, a ladleful at a time, and letting the rice absorb it.

Keep the risotto at a nice simmer and stir it at regular intervals. Make sure it never gets dry. Add the orange juice towards the end of the cooking time.

The rice should be soft and creamy, but with some body (slightly al dente). Taste it after 15 minutes from the first addition of broth: if it feels a bit hard at the core, cook it a minute longer, then check again.

Once ready, add Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese of choice. Stir until the cheese is incorporated, then let the risotto rest, covered, for a few minutes. Adjust the salt, stir and plate.

A few minutes before the risotto is ready, prepare the scallops. Cut them in half crosswise. Heat the olive oil in a skillet until quite hot.

Distribute the scallops in the skillet and pan-fry for one minute, until they are golden at the edges. Flip the scallops in the same order in which you distributed them in the pan.

Cook the other side for no more than one minute. Season with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Distribute four scallop halves on each plate of risotto. Drizzle a small amount of orange juice on each scallop and decorate with the reserved orange zest.

If desired, decorate the risotto with orange pulp removed from the juicer.

---

Go to the full post on risotto all’arancia / orange risotto