Blackened Scallops with Risotto-Style Israeli Couscous Recipe

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups water
• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup chopped leeks
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• ½ cup white wine
• ¼ tablespoon saffron threads
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 4 baby bok choy
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

To Prepare the Couscous
1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and boil for 8–10 minutes, or until couscous is tender. Remove from heat. Place cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add couscous and Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until cheese is completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
To Make the Saffron-Leek Cream Sauce
2. Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until leeks are tender. Stir in wine and saffron and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. Add cream and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep sauce warm until serving.
To Prepare the Bok Choy
3. Cut bok choy in half lengthwise and wash thoroughly. Place a sauté pan over medium-heat heat. Add vegetable oil and bok choy and stir-fry until boy choy is crisptender. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
To Prepare the Scallops
4. Coat scallops with blackening seasoning. Place sauté pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add oil. Place scallops in pan and cook for 1–2 minutes per side, or until medium.
To assemble
5. Place a scoop of risotto couscous in the middle of each plate. Arrange bok choy so that it leans over the couscous. Place 4 scallops around bok choy on each plate. Drizzle saffronleek cream sauce atop scallops.