Roberta Adamo stepped up without hesitation when the chef at the restaurant where she worked left unexpectedly. Although she didn’t have formal culinary training, Adamo — who learned to cook alongside her grandmother — found a cookbook, started making pasta and discovered her calling.
Today she is the chef at Penne Restaurant & Wine Bar, an innovative Italian restaurant located in Philadelphia’s Hilton Inn at Penn. Her career highlights include time at Catelli’s Restaurant in Voorhees working with Chef Louise Imbesi, Brasserie Perrier alongside Chef Francesco Martorella, and the Ritz-Carlton where she trained under Chefs Kai Lerman and Alberto Vonoli.
A proud member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, Adamo is involved with the Slow Food movement. Her culinary philosophy emphasizes balance: “Food should sing and not scream any one note louder than the other. Balance is key, whether it’s taste, texture, color or temperature. It is an art I adore, and I am thrilled every day I have a chance to experience it.”
Seared sea scallops with vermouth sauce and sweet pea risotto Serves 4 (or 8 appetizer portions)
For the vermouth sauce:
½ pound scallops
½ cup blended oil
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
3 cups sliced shallots
¼ bottle dry vermouth
½ bunch basil
½ bunch parsley
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ¼ gallons chicken stock
1 pint heavy cream
¼ pound unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil once the pan is hot. Sear the scallops until golden on each side, then add the mushrooms and shallots and sauté until tender but not browned. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze the pan with vermouth and reduce by half. Add basil, parsley and red pepper flakes, then cover with chicken stock and reduce the liquid by half. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 8–10 minutes. Strain the solids, transfer the liquid to a smaller pot, and use an immersion blender to incorporate the butter until the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
For the sweet pea risotto:
1 package risotto
1 cup sweet peas, fresh or frozen
Salt and pepper, to taste
Prepare the risotto according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, blanch the peas in salted boiling water until tender, then shock them in an ice bath to preserve color and texture. Reserve half the peas whole and puree the other half until smooth. Fold both the whole peas and the puree into the finished risotto and season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the sea scallops:
2 pounds U10 sea scallops
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Rinse the scallops under cold water and pat them thoroughly dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the scallops and sear for about 1½ minutes per side, forming a golden crust while keeping the center tender.
Presentation:
Plate a generous spoonful of the sweet pea risotto, arrange the seared scallops on top, and spoon the vermouth sauce around or over the scallops. Garnish with sweet pea tendrils or microgreens for a fresh, elegant finish.