Creamy Coconut Lemongrass And Asparagus Risotto With Scallops

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 5
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped lemongrass, part only
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 250 ml wine
• 1 liter coconut cream
• 1/2 cup wine
• 600 ml fish stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 shallots, finely chopped
• 12 asparagus spears, cut off tips to 4cm and chop remaining stalks into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 30 large scallops
• sea salt

Recipe

• 1 to make the coconut base: melt butter in a pot. toss in onion, lemongrass and garlic and sweat off for about 2 minutes or lightly transparent.
• 2 add curry powder and cook over a low heat for another 2 minutes.
• 3 add wine, bring to the boil, and reduce on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• 4 add coconut cream and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes. season with salt and pepper.
• 5 puree with a stick mixer or blender and strain. use 1 cup of this mixture to use in the risotto and keep it warm. reserve and freeze rest of this liquid for another time if you wish.
• 6 to make the risotto: put fish stock in a pot and bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
• 7 heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy base saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of the butter then cook the shallots and asparagus pieces (not the spear tips). cook over a low heat for 3 minutes.
• 8 add rice and turn up heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• 9 add wine and let it evaporate.
• 10 lower heat then start adding stock, a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally, until rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes.
• 11 add coconut base and cook another 5 minutes, until rice is tender. remove from heat and rest for 2 minutes before folding in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
• 12 in the meantime, bring a large pot of water to the boil, blanch asparagus tips for 30 seconds, drain, then refresh under cold , drain again and put aside.
• 13 heat a little olive oil in a frying pan until hot. cook scallops in batches for 30 seconds on each side. season with salt and pepper, keep warm and set aside.
• 14 add asparagus spears to pan to heat through.
• 15 dish risotto into bowls, top with asparagus spears and scallops and drizzle with a little olive oil.