In case you ever wonder what girl’s night consists of in Andiland, well, this is it. I made this dish for my most recent (and much needed) girls night at the aptly dubbed “Andi’s Cocina.”  I have to say thank you to Sarah for helping with the task of stirring! Thanks to her, this was the first time that I have EVER had the risotto finished before other elements of the dish. This was just a perfect get-together-and-catch-up dinner that we all enjoyed very much. The ragu, can be made in advance and warmed up right before serving, was the perfect compliment to the sweet corn and slightly sweet scallop. I topped everything with crispy leeks for a nice texture contrast.

Sweet Corn Risotto with Scallop, Bacon-Corn Ragu, and Crispy Leeks

Serves Four

One recipe Sweet Corn Risotto
One recipe Bacon-Corn Ragu
One recipe crispy leeks
Four scallops
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Basil, chiffonade (or other herb of choice)
Butter

Enlist the help of a hungry friend and prepare the risotto, asking your hungry friend to stir the rice. Once the risotto is about 15 minutes from being done (for one cup about 45 minutes but this depend on oven type – look for creaminess and taste to determine cooking length), prepare the bacon-corn ragu and heat oil for leeks. Once the ragu is done, transfer to a bowl and heat a half-tablespoon of butter (or oil) over a medium heat heat. Salt and pepper the scallops (after you have patted them well dry) and sear on each side for about a minute and a half to obtain a nice brown top. Plate the risotto, then top with one scallop, then spoon the bacon over the scallop and top with a handful of crispy leeks. Dress with fresh basil and serve immediately.