To a 2-quart saucepan, add the chicken stock and heat on medium until it comes to simmer, then quickly reduce to low to keep it warm.

To a skillet, set over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat until shiny and shimmering. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until softened. Add the minced garlic, thyme, and arborio rice and cook, stirring often, for another 5 or so minutes until the grains are translucent on the edges with the centers remaining white (it’ll look like each grain has a white dot in the center).

Add the white wine to the skillet, stirring often, until fully absorbed by the grains.

Ladle in about 1/2 a cup of warm stock into the skillet and stir often until the liquid has absorbed into the rice and the bottom of the pan looks dry. Continue this process until all the stock has been incorporated. It should take about 30 minutes or so in total. The rice should be shiny and al dente. If at any point before the 30 minutes is up or before you’ve incorporated all of the stock the risotto is both al dente and shiny, you can stop adding the stock. Risotto is a touch and feel dish. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butternut squash, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and the cream cheese and stir for 2 minutes, it should be well combined. Turn off the heat and fold in the reserved 1 tablespoon of butter, parmesan, and gruyere. Taste it and add more seasoning, to taste. If it looks really saucy, don’t panic. The sauce will continue to absorb into the rice as you sear the scallops.

​​Start by patting the scallops dry with a paper towel (this helps with them getting nice and browned). Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. In a small skillet, set over medium-high heat, add the oil.

When hot, add the scallops, cooking on each side for about 1 to 2 minutes, until nice and golden brown. Repeat until you’ve worked your way through all of the scallops. Set them aside on a paper towel. Clean out the pan, if needed and then add the butter to the pan and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s turned from melted, to foamy to nutty and browned. Remove immediately.

Divide the risotto into six equal portions, preferably served in shallow bowls, and top with the scallops and drizzle the browned butter over each. Serve immediately--you can garnish with a sprig of thyme and more parmesan cheese if desired.