Seafood Sautée Recipe

Prepare stock and mise en place

Keep 4 cups of chicken or seafood stock warm in a saucepan over low heat. Finely chop the onion, mince garlic, zest the lemon, and grate the Parmesan. Gently pick through lump crab meat to remove any shells; set crab aside refrigerated.

Sweat aromatics

In a medium saucepan or heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat until butter foams. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 4–5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.

Toast rice

Add 1 cup arborio rice to the pan and stir to coat with butter and oil. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the edges of the rice become translucent and it smells slightly nutty. This step helps release starch gradually.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice, about 1–2 minutes.

Cook risotto

Begin adding the warm stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Continue this process for 18–22 minutes total, until rice is al dente and creamy. You may not need all 4 cups; stop when texture is creamy and tender with a slight bite.

Finish risotto with crab and seasoning

When rice is nearly done (within the last 2 minutes of cooking), gently fold in 1 cup lump crab meat, 1 tablespoon butter (from Finish & Garnish), 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine without breaking up the crab too much. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Rest risotto

Remove pan from heat, cover, and let rest 2 minutes so flavors meld. The consistency should be spoonable—loose enough to spread slightly on a plate but not soupy. If too thick, stir in up to 1–2 tablespoons warm stock to loosen.

Season seafood

Pat shrimp and scallops very dry with paper towels (this helps get a good sear). Season both sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided between them (use about 3/4 tsp salt & 3/4 tsp pepper for scallops and shrimp proportionally). If using, lightly sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes across both.

Sear scallops

Heat a large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. When butter foams and just begins to brown, place the scallops in the pan spaced apart. Do not move them. Sear scallops 1.5–2 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms and centers are just opaque. Transfer scallops to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Cook shrimp

Lower heat to medium. In the same skillet add remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not let it burn). Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Remove skillet from heat.

Make quick pan sauce

While shrimp finishes, pour 1 tablespoon dry white wine into the hot skillet to deglaze, scraping up brown bits. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley. Swirl to combine and let the sauce reduce 30–45 seconds. Taste and adjust with a small pinch of salt or pepper if needed.

Combine and keep warm

Return scallops to the pan for 30 seconds just to rewarm and coat in the sauce. Turn off heat. Spoon the sauce over the seafood. Keep warm briefly while plating the risotto.

Plate risotto

Spoon a generous portion of crab risotto (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups) into the center of each warmed dinner plate and spread slightly into a shallow well.

Top with seafood

Arrange 4 seared scallops and 6 shrimp over each serving of risotto. Spoon any remaining pan sauce over the seafood and around the risotto.

Garnish and serve

Garnish each plate with a sprinkle of chopped parsley or microgreens, a little extra lemon zest if desired, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.