Spring Garlic Risotto

Spring seemed to arrive a little late this year in California, so we are still as of late May this year, able to find this highly seasonal food at farmer’s markets in the bay area.

Spring garlic, also known as green garlic or young garlic, is a young bulbs of garlic harvested before the cloves have fully formed. It is a seasonal delicacy that is available during the spring season, typically from late winter to early summer, depending on the region.

Spring garlic is highly valued for its fresh, mild, and slightly sweet taste. It is less pungent and sharp than fully mature garlic.

I’d like to have used English Peas instead of asparagus, but unfortunately English Peas weren’t in season yet when I made this dish. If your’e able to get them, just add them sooner than the asparagus, at about the rice’s the halfway done mark.

Here are some photos of how the risotto should look along the way, just in case you’ve never made a risotto before. When you feel that the rice is cooked through, take the extra few minutes to cook the remaining liquid out, this is the key to making risotto with the correct texture. You don’t want to see liquid draining out of the rice onto the plate.

1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter.
2. Add the garlic and sauté until soft, but be careful not to allow it to brown, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat it in the butter, tossing for about one minute.
4. Add the wine and cook out the alcohol for 2-3 minutes
5. Add a healthy pinch of salt
6. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, stir occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed, 4-5 minutes.
7. Repeat the above step until all the stock is absorbed, or until the rice is no longer crunchy in the center. And start the following two steps once the third cup has been added.
8. Start to warm your pan to sear the scallops, starting on medium heat and when its time to sear turn it up to high heat a 30-60 before searing.
9. Along with the third cup of stock, add the asparagus, and another pinch of salt
10. When you are satisfied with the texture of the rice, [time to turn the scallop pan to high-heat] allow the remaining liquid to cook out until when you pull the rice away from the center of the pan and no longer liquid pools to the center. It should take 3-5 minutes, and requires more frequent stirring.
11. Sear the scallops in 2 tablespoons of butter on high-heat while the remaining liquid cooks out of the risotto.  Make sure to add the butter to the pan first and let it start to bubble before adding the scallops, you want the pan and the butter to be very hot so the scallops can cook quickly.  The scallops will need about 90-120 seconds on their first side (do not move them while searing) and then about 30-60 seconds on the second side.
12. Once the liquid is absorbed from the risotto, stir in the grated cheese and season to taste with salt.
13. Place the scallops atop the risotto on the plate and drizzle with olive oil and one last pinch of salt.
14. Enjoy!