Grilled Sea Scallops With Saffron Rice Food

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Make Saffron Rice: Pour stock into a medium-size pot (you will also need a tight-fitting lid). Place pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining rice ingredients. When stock is boiling, stir in the rice. Return to a boil, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook 12 to 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Without stirring, turn off the heat and, with the lid on, leave the pot on the burner another 5 to 10 minutes. The residual heat will finish cooking the rice. You can keep the rice warm for an hour or more if you need to hold it. Stir in peas if using. Before serving, fluff with two forks. Adjust seasonings, adding a little salt or another squeeze of lemon juice if needed. While the rice is cooking, saute the scallops and mushrooms: In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter together over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Quickly add half of scallops to pan, flat side down. When the first side is golden brown, flip over and cook for another minute. Transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more oil or butter if needed. Having a hot pan will give you the best results. Tent scallops with foil to keep warm. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and shallot in the butter until they release their liquid and some of it has evaporated. You want the mushrooms to still be a little firm. Set on a back burner and cover to keep warm. Make the Butter-Wine Sauce: Heat wine, lemon juice, zest, garlic, shallots, and thyme sprigs in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the liquid boils, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue simmering until the liquid has reduced down to about 2 tbsp, about 10 minutes. (To help know when you've reduced the sauce enough, place 2 tbsp water in a small bowl and use it to estimate the volume.) You can make the sauce to this point and hold it for up to a day. Reheat before continuing. Remove thyme sprigs, reduce the heat to low, and start adding the pieces of butter, one or two at a time, whisking rapidly. As the butter melts, add more pieces whisking constantly. When you only have a few pieces left, remove pan from heat and whisk in the last few pieces. The finished sauce should be thick and smooth. Season to taste with salt. Add scallops to sauce to reheat them. To Plate: Place a mound of rice in center of plate and top with scallops. Pour sauce around the edge of plate and scatter mushrooms over the top. Decorate with a sprig of thyme if you like. Serve hot.

GRILLED SEA SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON RICE RECIPE

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the rice in a large sieve or small holed colander under cold running water until it runs clear. Shake the sieve to get rid of the excess water.
• In a small pot with a lid, heat the oil and garlic over medium. Add the rice and stir to toast, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth to cover the rice approximately 1/2 inch. Add the saffron threads. Bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 13 minutes. Add the peas and simmer for 2 or 3 more minutes until all the broth is absorbed and the rice is soft and golden.
• Remove from the heat and let the rice rest another 5 minutes with the lid on.
• Add the lemon zest and fluff the rice lightly with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. (While the rice is resting, preheat your Foreman Grill).
• Preheat the grill to high while your rice is resting. Pat the scallops dry while the grill is heating up.
• Mix the butter and EVOO together well. Brush or coat the hot grill with the fat, top and bottom. Add the scallops immediately and close the lid on the grill. Grill the scallops until just opaque and milky white with a nice sear on the outside. This will take approximately 1-1/2 to 3 minutes. Check at 1-1/2 minutes. If not done rotate them 45 degrees just to add some cross grill marks.
• Serve the scallops on the saffron rice with a little salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Saute onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add saffron, tomato, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and stir, coating grains with oil. Add wine and stock and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat while scallops are prepared. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan until very very hot--almost smoking. Sear scallops for 2-3 minutes per side. Pan must be very hot. Do not turn scallops early, or they will stick. To serve, put rice on a platter, topped with scallops, parsley, and lemon juice.

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat butter in heavy three-quart saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent but not brown. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until grains turn white. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, for five minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small dish and pour a cup of the hot stock over it.
• When most of the wine has evaporated, stir in a half cup of the stock and adjust the heat so the mixture cooks at a steady simmer. When most of that stock has evaporated, stir in the stock with the saffron and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue adding stock, about a half cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is just barely tender, about 15 minutes longer. You may not need to add all the remaining stock.
• Stir in scallops. Continue cooking, stirring gently, another three to five minutes, until rice is al dente and scallops are cooked. Add a little stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes; serve at once.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON AIOLI

Steps:

• Put the orange juice and saffron in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 1 minute, until orange juice is infused with the saffron; stir in the zest and remove from the heat to cool slightly. Whisk the orange mixture and the mayonnaise in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and set aside while you cook the scallops.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. When the oil is rippling, add the scallops and sear, turning once, until golden brown but still opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the scallops from the skillet to serving dishes, (3 to 4 per person), and drizzle with the aioli. Serve immediately.