Orzotto with Scallop Cream

Orzotto with scallop cream is a delicate and refined dish that combines the flavors of the sea with the creamy texture of barley for a surprising result. Barley is a cereal highly appreciated in Italian cuisine, especially in Northern Italy, where it is often used for soups and broths. Let’s see together how to prepare this dish.

Ingredients

• 200 g of pearled barley
• 200 g of scallops (keeping the coral if present)
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 200 ml of fresh cream for cooking
• Vegetable broth as needed (about 1 liter)
• 50 ml of dry white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper as needed
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. Clean the scallops well, detaching the corals and setting them aside. Rinse the scallop nuts and dry them with paper towels.
2. In a pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the finely chopped shallot until it becomes translucent. Add the scallops without their corals and cook them quickly for about a minute on each side. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
3. As soon as the scallops are golden, remove them from the pan and keep them warm. In the same pan, add the scallop corals and sauté for one minute. Add the cream and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes. If you wish, you can blend the cream to make it homogeneous.
4. Meanwhile, in another pan, sauté the garlic in olive oil and add the pearled barley. Toast for a few minutes, then begin to add the vegetable broth little by little, like a risotto, allowing the barley to absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue until the barley is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
5. Once the barley is cooked, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and combine it with the scallop cream. Serve hot garnished with the scallops set aside and, if liked, with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley.

Fun Fact

Orzotto is a variation of the more well-known risotto and has very ancient roots in some areas of Italy, such as Trentino Alto Adige, where barley is a traditionally used cereal. The scallop cream adds a touch of nobility to this simple but flavorful dish, making it an excellent choice for special dinners or to impress guests.