Sauteed Diver Sea Scallops With Sake Nage Food

SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS WITH CAPER-HONEY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender, combine the vinegar, capers, honey and about half of the dill and tarragon and blend until smooth. While blending, slowly add the olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve at room temperature for finishing.
• Score the scallops by making 1/8-inch-deep crosshatches across the top side of each (like a checkerboard). Season with freshly cracked black pepper. Dry the scallops thoroughly on paper towels.
• In a medium saute pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat until it just begins to show ripples. Place the scallops scored-side down into the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and flip the scallops over; cook for 1 more minute for medium rare. Season with salt.
• Place the scallops on a serving plate and spoon some of the caper-honey sauce over the top. Top with the remaining tarragon and dill.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH A SPICY PIQUILLO PEPPER PUREE

Steps:

• Puree: Roughly chop the onions, garlic, peppers, piquillos, and cilantro; then add all puree ingredients into a food processor, except the olive oil and salt and pepper. Pulse several times until all ingredients have been finely diced. Once finely diced, slowly drizzle olive oil into food processor, while pulsing. Taste, add salt and pepper, as needed. Remove puree from processor and add to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then reduce heat to low.
• Scallops: Pat and dry scallops with paper towels; lightly season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over very high heat. In batches, cook scallops until golden brown and opaque throughout, about 2 minutes per side.
• Plate scallops on a white rectangular plate, lightly drizzle plate and scallops with piquillo pepper puree. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook until the foam subsides and the butter solids turn a deep, nut brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the seeds from the preserved lemon and finely dice.
• Add the rosemary branches and chopped garlic to the butter and cook 30 seconds. Add the scallops, preserved lemon and a large pinch of salt. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring, until scallops are just opaque, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the scallops carry over off the heat for a few minutes.
• Season with additional salt, as needed, and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over scallops and serve with chopped fresh herbs if you like.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS PURéE

Steps:

• Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (make it as salty as seawater). Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard; then submerge asparagus in the boiling water. Cover with lid just until the water comes back to a boil, then uncover and cook until al dente (tender but with just a little crunch), 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water.
• Asparagus are done when they bend without snapping. Use a spider strainer to transfer them to the ice bath; submerge and stir to immediately stop the cooking. Reserve cooking water (to thin purée). Cut asparagus tips and reserve for garnish. Cut stalks into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Place asparagus stalks in the blender and cover with lid; pulse a few times. Remove the smaller cap in the lid and turn blender to medium speed. Ladle in a slow stream of cooking water (about ½ cup) to help the asparagus purée. Use caution, as the water and purée are hot! Replace the cap, then purée on high speed. When the purée is smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any fibrous strands. Salt the purée to taste and set aside.
• Scallops: Place scallops on paper towels in an even layer and pat dry; this is an important step to get a nice sear. Pull off and discard any tough side-muscles (their fibers run against the grain of the rest of the scallop). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add oil. (Add more as needed to coat the bottom of the skillet.) When the oil begins to ripple, add scallops in an even layer without crowding. Let cook undisturbed, 60-90 seconds. Scallops are ready to flip when they are evenly caramelized and no longer stick to the skillet. Before flipping, sprinkle with sea salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the asparagus purée.
• When scallops are golden brown on the first side, they should release easily from the skillet. Using a small offset spatula, flip each scallop to sear the second side; continue sautéing, 30-45 more seconds, depending on size. Remove scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest while finishing the sauce.
• Add half of the asparagus tips to the warmed purée. Add butter, then swirl the saucepan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the purée to make a rich sauce.
• Immediately before serving, add the lemon juice to the asparagus sauce and stir to combine; taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among plates or large bowls, then place the scallops on the sauce. Garnish with remaining asparagus tips and serve immediately.

DIVER SEA SCALLOPS WITH BRAISED ENDIVES AND A BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place endives in a stainless steel pot. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice with endives. Cover with a napkin or dish towel and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes and remove endives. Strain cooking liquid and reserve. Let endives cool and cut into quarters lengthwise. Set aside. Heat a medium saute pan until very hot and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Season scallops with salt and pepper and quickly sear scallops for 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and cook for 1 minute more. Remove. In another saute pan, add butter and let brown. Add balsamic vinegar, endive juice, salt, pepper, chopped herbs, and diced tomatoes. On 6 dinner plate, fan out 4 pieces of endives. Warm plates in oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove plates form oven and place scallops over endive and lightly nap with sauce. Serve immediately.

SEA SCALLOPS A LA NAGE WITH JULIENNED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and hold them under running water while flipping through the leaves to rinse out any sand. Cut the leaves 2 or 3 at a time into fine julienne. If the leaves are more than 4 or 5 inches long, fold them under to make them easier to julienne.
• Julienne the carrots and turnip into 3- inch lengths. The easiest way to do this is first to slice them with a benriner cutter (a Japanese slicer) and then with a chef's knife. Cut the celery stalk into 4-inch sections and julienne it as finely as possible. Combine the julienned vegetables, bouquet garni, and just enough water to cover- about a quart- in a 4-quart pot. Simmer gently, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add the wine and simmer for 10 minutes more. Strain the vegetable broth, reserving the cooked vegetables and broth. About 10 minutes before you're ready to serve, put the cooked vegetables with 1/4 cup of the broth in a covered saucepan over low heat.
• Bring the remaining vegetable broth to a simmer in a saute pan just large enough to hold the scallop in a single layer. (If the pan is too large, there won't be enough liquid to cover.) Gently slide the scallops into the simmering broth. If there's not enough liquid to cover the scallops. Poach the scallops for 8 minutes. Spread 3/4 quarters of the julienned vegetables in shells. Carefully arrange the scallop on the vegetables.
• Add the chopped parsley to the simmering poaching liquid, season the liquid with salt and pepper, swirl in 1/4 cup tarragon butter and ladle enough over the fish to come about a third of the way up the sides of the fish. Arrange the rest of the julienne over the fish.

STEAMED SEA SCALLOPS OVER LEMON GRASS NAGE

Steps:

• Place all the nage ingredients in the bottom of a stainless steel steamer. Bring slowly to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, skimming off any impurities.
• Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place on the top part of the steamer. Cover and steam for 6 minutes. They should be slightly firm and medium rare.
• Divide the rice noodles among 4 serving bowls. Place 3 scallops on top and ladle some broth over and around the scallops.
• The scallops can also be served as a warm salad over greens with a citrus vinaigrette.

MEXICAN DIVER SCALLOPS WITH BLACK RICE, ENGLISH PEAS, AND GINGERED TANGERINES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Peel the carrots, leaving 1/2-inch of tops attached, and cut them in half. Blanch the carrots in the water for 1 minute. Set aside.
• Place the Black Rice in a pot in the oven to heat it up.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the scallops on all sides with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the oil into the pan and let it heat for 30 seconds. Place the scallops in the pan on their flat round sides. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are nicely caramelized. Turn them over and lower the heat. The scallops should be just barely cooked through.
• Meanwhile, heat a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat.Add the butter and then the shallots and blanched carrots. Season the shallots and carrots with salt and pepper and cook gently for about 2 minutes without getting any color on the carrots.
• Add the peas and then the pea shoots to the pan with the carrots, season with additional salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the peas are just cooked and the pea shoots have just wilted. Season the vegetables with a squeeze of the lemon. Plate the hot black rice at the center of 6 large plates. Scatter the vegetables over the rice. Place 3 scallops on top of the rice on each plate. Spoon the Tangerine Vinaigrette over the scallops and serve immediately.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepot. Add the black rice and toast slightly, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Add the diced shallots and bay leaf and stir for 1 minute more. Add the water and salt. Simmer for about 45 minutes or until the rice is tender but slightly al dente. You will see the water turn a beautiful purple color. The idea is for the liquid to cook down to form a "sauce" which will coat the rice. If the water cooks away before the rice is done, add a little more water at a time. Ideally there will be no water to drain off. When the rice is done, pour it onto a sheet pan to cool.
• Section the tangerines into "supremes" (sections without the pith), and reserve the remainder of the tangerines. Set supremes aside. Squeeze the juice from the remainder of the tangerines and reserve.
• Place the shallots in a small bowl with the vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the tangerine juice, salt, and ginger. Let the mixture macerate for 5 minutes. Whisk in the honey and then the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Stir in the reserved tangerine segments and parsley.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH CLEMENTINE SAUCE AND TOASTED BEETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the beets in a pan and roast in the oven until very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut beets into 1-inch long batonets, or a thick julienne.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the marmalade and coconut milk. Cook until reduced by half, it should be thick enough to coat a spoon. Finish the sauce by whisking in the butter, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
• In a saute pan, over high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and thyme and heat. Add the scallops to the oil and pan sear until golden brown on both sides.
• Place the beets on a plate and place 4 scallops on top. Cover the scallops with a thin, even layer of the sauce.

MAINE DIVER SCALLOPS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PROSCIUTTO, AND ORANGE RIND VAPOR

Steps:

• Make the Garnish: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees F. Arrange the prosciutto on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and bake until dried and crispy, about 3 hours. Set aside. (The prosciutto can be made up to 2 days in advance, and kept covered in an air-tight container.) When the prosciutto is done, combine the squash, water, 1 teaspoon butter, salt, and sugar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the squash is tender and glazed. Make the Nage: Combine all the ingredients, except the water, in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain, discard the solids, and return to the pot. Boil until reduced to 3 cups. Set aside. (The nage can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, covered.) Make the Scallops and Orange Vapor: Using a vegetable peeler, peel the rind off the oranges and set aside. Reserve orange segments for another use. Preheat a large skillet over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the oil and heat. Add the scallops and cook, turning once, until seared and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, heat the nage in a saucepan over medium heat. While blending with an immersion blender, add the butter to the nage, little by little, to make frothy. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the glazed butternut squash and reheat. Bring a teapot of water to a boil. Divide the glazed butternut squash among the center of 8 small bowls, and top each with a scallop. Spoon some of the frothy nage over each scallop and top each with piece of the crispy prosciutto. Place each bowl inside a heated larger bowl and surround with the orange rind. Place the bowls in front of your eagerly awaiting guest. Pour the water from the teapot over the orange rind to create orange vapor. Inhale the vapor while you eat.

PAN SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Clean porcinis with a damp cloth. Remove caps from stems and slice. Trim outer part of stem with paring knife, slice, and set aside.
• Peel cipollinis and cut lengthwise. Carmelize in 2 tablespoons clarified butter and set aside.
• Heat oil on saute pan. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Sear until carmelized on both sides.
• Wash baby spinach and dry. Add butter to a small saute pan and melt. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
• Wash fingerling potatoes and slice thin using a mandolin or knife. Season with salt and pepper. Brown in 2 tablespoons clarified butter.
• Combine mushrooms, spinach and potatoes on center of plate. Top with scallops. Place onions around scallops and top it all off with Hot Bacon Vinaigrette.
• In a saucepot, render bacon. Add shallots and sweat. Add vinegar and reduce by 3/4. Add demi-glace and reduce by 1/2. Melt in whole butter slowly. Strain. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

SEA SCALLOPS OVER LEEKS WITH MANGO CURRY CHUTNEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and add 1 tablespoon of the butter (reserving the other 2 tablespoons oil and the other 3 tablespoons butter). Reduce the heat to low and slowly cook the leeks until tender. Transfer to a utility platter, cover and keep warm. (Keep the same pan handy to sear the scallops.)
• While the leeks are cooking, in a separate medium saucepot heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat (reserving the last tablespoon of oil) and saute the onion and garlic until the onion becomes translucent. Add the mango peach juice and curry paste and let reduce by two-thirds. Whisk in the chocolate chips and cook for about 10 minutes to integrate flavors.
• While the sauce is cooking, dust the scallops on both sides with chili powder and cocoa powder, and season with a little salt.
• Return to the saucepot, and reduce the heat to low. Take 1/4 cup of the hot sauce and put it into a separate bowl. Gradually add the sour cream into the hot sauce, a spoonful at a time to temper the sour cream and keep it from "breaking."
• Gradually add the bowl of tempered sour cream to the sauce a little at a time and allow to thicken over low heat, about 5 more minutes.
• While the sauce is thickening, return to the pan in which you sauteed the leeks and if you have not already done so, remove them to a utility platter to keep warm. Wipe out the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat to the smoking point and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in it (reserving the last 2 tablespoons of butter). Sear each side of the scallop leaving undisturbed for the first 2 minutes or so to let the caramelization process to begin. This will not only allow the seasonings integrate into the surface of the scallops, but will prevent tearing. Further cook the scallops until you see (from the side) that they are beginning to turn opaque inside. When you notice that the opacity extends about 1/4 of the way down from each flat side of the scallop, remove the scallops to a plate and cover them with a pot lid to allow carryover cooking to take over, to avoid overcooking the scallops.
• Spoon some leeks into the center of serving plate. Top with scallops and spoon curry sauce around.