Asparagus and Scallop Risotto

Name: Asparagus and Scallop Risotto
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tbs Colovita olive oil; 1 tbs butter; 150 gr Scallop; 1 shallot, sliced; 1 bunch of asparagus, well washed, cut in half; 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tbs butter (plus a little extra for mixing in at the end); 350 gr of Arborio rice; 200 ml of dry white wine; 2 lt of vegetable stock, warmed; salt and pepper for seasoning; balsamic vinegar to drizzle on top

With

Silvia Colloca

Jump to recipe

Ingredients

1 tbs Colovita olive oil
1 tbs butter
150 gr Scallop
1 shallot, sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, well washed, cut in half
3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbs butter (plus a little extra for mixing in at the end)
350 gr of Arborio rice
200 ml of dry white wine
2 lt of vegetable stock, warmed
salt and pepper for seasoning
balsamic vinegar to drizzle on top

Method

1. Heat oil and butter into a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Sear scallops on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Trim odd the woody end of the asparagus, if they are thick, peel the stalk, Cut into 2 cm pieces, keeping the spears intact. Set aside. dd the rice and toast well in the fat. Deglaze with wine and cook out the alcohol. Start adding the stock, a few ladlefuls at a time so that the rice is always submerged. Don’t over stir. Just do it gently and occasionally. The more you stir, the more you have to stir to stop it from sticking! Keep doing it for 15-16 minutes or until the rice is almost al dente. Add the asparagus and toss through. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking. At this point turn off the heat.

3. Add 1 more tablespoon of butter and 1 ladleful of stock and stir vigorously to release the starch. Put the lid on and keep it undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. In this time the rice will also continue cooking, this is why it’s important to turn the heat off when it’s still not quite al dente. Remove the lid, divide into shallow bowls, top each bowl with scallops , freshly ground black or white pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Silvia Colloca

Silvia Colloca is an Italian-born food writer, opera singer, TV producer and host. She has authored seven cookbooks, including Silvia’s Cucina, Made in Italy, La Dolce Vita, Love, Laugh, Bake!, Simple Italian (2024), and The Italian Homecook (2025), all published by Penguin.

Silvia’s most recent television work is Silvia’s Italian Masterclass (Channel 10), with its latest season airing in October 2025. The series is currently funding for Season 4. She has also appeared as a special guest on SBS’s Mastermind in 2025. Her earlier TV credits include the SBS Food series Cook Like an Italian, which has screened internationally across three seasons, as well as Made in Italy with Silvia Colloca (SBS), filmed on location in the Le Marche and Abruzzo regions and earning her a 2015 TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Best New Talent. She also co-wrote, co-produced and hosted the ABC prime-time series Silvia’s Italian Table in 2016.

Outside of food and television, Silvia has enjoyed a career as a celebrated opera singer and actress. In 2022, she released her debut solo classical album with Universal Music, which topped the Classical Charts for over 20 weeks. That same year, she performed with Andrea Bocelli at his Sydney concert, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.