Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Risotto and Bruschette in an Orange Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:      

1 cup Risotto

1/2 small yellow onion diced

2 cups Lobster Stock (substitute: fish stock/chicken stock)

1 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups water

3 Tbsp Filippo Berio olive oil

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 jumbo (u-ten) dry sea scallops

Bruschette:

3 plum tomatoes, chopped into a small dice

3 basil leaves finely chopped

1/2 small red onion finely diced

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Slices of Italian bread

Orange Olive Oil Vinaigrette:

 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate

1/2 cup Filippo Berio olive oil

1/4 cup of orange juice

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions:
Using a large sauté pan, sauté onions with the garlic and Italian seasonings in olive oil. When onions have browned, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan. Stir in the rice and cook until  translucent (this will take 7-10 minutes), stirring constantly to keep rice from sticking. Return the sautéed onions to the pot and stir in 1 cup of dry white wine. Once the wine has evaporated completely, add a ladle of simmering lobster broth; stir until the liquid is absorbed, because if the grains get too dry they will flake. Continue cooking, stirring and adding broth as the rice absorbs it, until the rice barely reaches the al dente stage. At this point stir in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the grated Parmesan cheese, cover the risotto, and turn off the flame. Let sit, covered, for two to three minutes, before serving.

Heat a sauté pan with enough olive oil to coat the pan. Once the pan is smoking hot, place the seasoned sea scallops in the pan and sear each side about 2 to 3 minutes until nice and golden brown. When done, place on paper towel.

Meanwhile, dice the plum tomatoes, red onion and fresh basil and mix with olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Toast some Italian Bread and place mixture on top.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs.

To make the olive oil infusion, combine the frozen orange juice concentrate, olive oil and orange juice in a mixing bowl, slowly adding all the ingredients to form the emulsion, adding sea salt and pepper to taste.

To plate, place the Risotto in center of plate (in a mold if you have one) and pour the orange olive oil infusion around the plate. Place the seared sea scallops on the orange olive oil and garnish with the bruschette.