Seared Scallops with Parmesan Asparagus Risotto

Here's what you'll need:

For the Scallops:

• 5-6 large scallops
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon chilled butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Risotto:

• 2 cups of arborio rice
• 1 cup of white wine
• 3 cups of chicken broth 
• 1 cup chopped asparagus
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Grated parmesan cheese  

Scallops Instructions:

1. Place a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly heated. 
2. Coat scallops with cooking spray, and then salt and pepper right before placing on skillet. 
3. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and allow to melt.
4. Carefully place scallops in hot skillet. Sear 2-3 minutes or until browned, flip sides, and cook another 2 minutes. 
5. Remove scallops from pan, and keep them warm in an oven at 150-175ºF.

Risotto Instructions:

1. Warm your chicken stock over low heat along with about 3-4 cups of water. (You can always add more later.)
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oiI a large, deep saucepan. Once hot, throw in the rice and stir until coated in the oil. 
3. Add in the wine and stir until it evaporates.  
4. Reduce to medium heat and slowly begin adding the warm kitchen stock, continue to stir. When the liquid evaporates, add in more and so on. It will take about 20 minutes for the rice to be be cooked. 
5. On the side, chop your asparagus and cook in a small pan with a bit of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Once your rice is about ready, (you want it to be semi-hard on the outside, but soft on the inside) add in half of the chopped asparagus and the butter and stir until combined.
7. Remove from the heat and add in the parmesan cheese to make it creamy. Let it set for 3-4 minutes and serve alongside the remaining asparagus and scallops. 

This method of cooking for scallops is a common one you can find in almost any how-to instructions online . The risotto on the other hand was found on The Diary of Lovely, and was one of the more tasty and easy recipes I found.