Date Night In: Thomas DeLauer’s Keto Scallops and Cauliflower Risotto

Prep School goes keto … again! On today’s episode, Thomas DeLauer is back in the test kitchen with Megan Mitchell to whip up an elegant dinner that’s perfect for dinner parties or a date night in. Instead of using arborio rice, riced cauliflower stands in for the grain [1], and every bite is extra creamy thanks to two types of cheese. Nestled on top, perfectly seared scallops finish the dish. And don’t forget the chives—they’ll add a pop of color and mild onion flavor.

Keto Scallops With Cauliflower Risotto

Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Active Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the risotto:
1 large or 2 small heads cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons Thrive Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ pounds mixed wild mushrooms (maitake, oysters, and creminis), cleaned
4 to 5 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
Sea salt
Thrive Market Organic Ground Pepper
¼ cup dry vermouth
2 cups vegetable stock
½ cup mascarpone cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

For the scallops:
10 to 12 Thrive Market Wild Sea Scallops, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons Thrive Market Organic Ghee
3 tablespoons minced chives

Instructions

Make the risotto:
Working in two batches, add cauliflower florets to a food processor and pulse 10 to 15 times, until broken down into rice-sized pieces. Turn out into a large bowl; you need approximately 5 cups of riced cauliflower.

Warm a medium Dutch oven over medium heat; add olive oil and butter; cook until butter has browned and smells nutty. Add shallots and garlic; cook 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.

While the shallots and garlic cook, thinly slice cremini mushrooms and gently tear maitake and oyster mushrooms. Add ⅓ mushrooms to the pot; wait until they begin to brown before adding the next batch. Once mushrooms have cooked down, add thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. If the pan gets too dry while cooking, add 1 tablespoon olive oil as needed.

Deglaze pan with vermouth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Once liquid has absorbed, remove ⅓ of the mushrooms to a small bowl.

Add riced cauliflower and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, then add vegetable stock; increase heat to medium high until almost all the liquid has been absorbed (about 10 minutes).

Reduce heat to medium and stir in mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses; cook until thick and the rice is tender; taste for seasoning. Cover and keep warm over low heat while you sear the scallops.

Make the scallops:
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium high; add ghee. Working in batches, add scallops and cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove to a plate and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, add a scoop of risotto to 2 shallow bowls, followed by reserved mushrooms. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Next, place 5 to 6 scallops on top and finish with chives; serve immediately.

Recipe by Megan Mitchell
For more, check out our ultimate guide to the keto diet!