Truffle Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped baby bella mushrooms
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
2 TBSP olive oil
lemon zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 TBSP parsley
Salt
Pepper
Smoked Paprika
Garlic Powder
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp of black truffle oil (this is the minimum but you can add more to your liking)
2 cups of arborio rice
6-7 cups of seafood stock
Optional: pine nuts for garnish

Directions:
1. Saute the onion in 2 TBSP olive oil for about 7-8 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
2. Over medium low heat, add garlic and mushrooms and more salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Continue to cook and stir until soft.
3. Add 2 cups arborio rice. Stir.
4. Add 2 tsp truffle oil. Stir occasionally for 2 minutes to slightly toast the rice.
5. Warm your stock on the stove on a pot behind your risotto pot. Now slowly add in a ladle at a time of stock while constantly stirring with a wooden spoon.
6. Make sure to let all the liquid absorb before adding another ladle. I cooked mine over medium heat and it took about 30 minutes. Taste the rice every few minutes when you get to the 20 minute mark.
7. When you have 1-2 ladles of stock left, now add your parmesan cheese. Stir. Cook to your desired doneness. Taste for seasoning and add a bit more here.
8. Top with parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest.

I served this with seared scallops. They were on sale today for $14.99 per pound. I got a lot of scallops so I actually cooked them in batches as to not crowd the pan. I cooked about 12 at a time.  I used large dry scallops that I put on paper towels in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Make sure to put towels on the bottom and top. You really want to dry them out. Get a cast iron pan screaming hot with 1 TBSP butter. Season scallops with Smoked Chardonnay Sea Salt and pepper. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side. You can flip them when they pick up easily, if they stick it is not time to flip. I served these around the risotto and also hit them with a little lemon juice and lemon zest.

Wine pairing:
Prytania
Chardonnay
2014
Russian River Valley California