Coffee Risotto with Capers and Scallops

Coffee Risotto with Capers and Scallops

The deep bitter flavor of coffee permeates this amazing risotto dish with creamy scallops and vibrant capers to cut through the bitter richness. Have you ever used barley to make risotto? It’s definitely different than arborio rice, but it’s a fun twist that I do sometimes when I am in the mood for it.

The inspiration for this recipe

Ever since cooking pasta in coffee a while back, it has been in the back of my mind to do a risotto with coffee. For some reason, I never got around to it, until I saw a recipe for coffee risotto in Food and Wine a month or two ago. As much as I love arborio rice for risotto, I think that pearled barley worked better in this dish! It cooks up with a perfect bite, and is so creamy and flavorful. This recipe is super delicious, I liked the original recipes creative use of salty capers to cut the creamy bitterness of the risotto. I wish I could link the recipe but it is no longer on the website!

Start with the risotto base

Of course, I had to make a few changes in the recipe to make it mine. Here we start with some onions sauteed in olive oil. Next the Barley goes in and is stirred until every grain is coated with the oil and it almost starts to toast in the pan.

barley in the pot

Add the coffee and broth

Coffee next. I used a concentrated cold brew for this. Just a 2x concentrate, not a super crazy strong one!

Start adding liquids

After the coffee mostly simmers off, start adding the hot veggie stock 1 or 2 ladles at a time, stirring often. When it looks dry like this, it’s time to add more!

add liquids slowly

Prepare the scallops and capers

While the risotto is cooking, cut the capers and sear the scallops. I really like to cut capers because I often feel like they are a little too much whole, but if you cut them they spread the flavor a bit.

scallops and capers to garnish the coffee risotto

Finish the coffee risotto with scallops and capers

When the risotto is the perfect texture, nice and creamy with some bite left in the grains, shut off the heat and add parm and cream. Salty parm is so good with coffee!

finish the coffee risotto with cream

Serving the coffee risotto with scallops and capers

Get the risotto onto the plate and top with scallops and capers. Then dig in!

coffee risotto with scallops and capers

So good! I devoured this meal. I can’t wait to make it again! Also can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.

coffee risotto with scallops and capers

The coffee is there but it isn’t in your face. It carries a nice background flavor throughout the dish.

coffee risotto with scallops and capers

Twists on coffee risotto with capers and scallops

You could make this with steak instead of scallops and it would be really nice. You could also make it with a beef broth instead of the veggie one I used.

If you have never made risotto before, check out this guide before you start.

For more risotto goodness, check out my gin and tonic scallop risotto, korean chicken and kimchi risotto, or this chili risotto!

Coffee Risotto with Capers and Scallops

Barley risotto cooked with coffee and vegetable stock and served with capers and seared scallops
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: Mash-Up
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 443kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion diced small
  • 1 cup pearled barley
  • 1 cup concentrated cold brew The kind that is like double the strength, not a super potent syrup
  • 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup light cream
  • 1 pound large scallops
  • 1/4 cup capers for garnish

Instructions

  • Mine was one medium/small onion in olive oil, followed by 2 cups of barley. Next, 1 small dark coffee followed by 1 tablespoon of a good quality instant coffee (I like the Starbucks kind, just use the whole packet) Then I added veg stock slowly until it was cooked, stirring often, about a half hour. Finished it with 1/4 cup of parm, and 3/4 cup of light cream. Top with salted capers(not brined) and some seared scallops.
  • Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot over high heat and add in the onions. Cook about 10 minutes to soften and start to brown on the edges.
  • Add in the barley and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Reduce heat to low. Stir in the coffee and cook 5 minutes.
  • Add in about a half cup of the stock and stir. Simmer and stir until it looks a little dry, and repeat. It should take about a half hour or 40 minutes until you have used all the stock and the barley is tender.
  • Towards the end of this process, you can preheat a cast iron skillet to high and sear the scallops on both sides. Make sure to season them well with salt and pepper just before cooking.
  • Remove the barley from heat and stir in the cream and parmesan.
  • plate the barley and top with capers and scallops.

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1131mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg

3 Comments

  1. Have you thought of using cold brewed coffee for this dish? it would have a more pronounced coffee flavor with less of the bitterness.

  2. I must say the combination doesn’t sound appealing…coffee and capers? But I trust you. The scallops looked perfect.

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