Sauteed Scallops With Hazelnut Vinaigrette And White Bean Purée Food

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, HAZELNUTS AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL WITH ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the fingerling potatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the potatoes to a roasting pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Test with fork for tenderness. Remove them from oven to a bowl and set aside.
• For the asparagus: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and blanch until they become bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove and plunge into an ice bath or rinse under cold water.
• For the scallops: Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium heat until very hot and add the olive oil. Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add the scallops and saute the first side until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Turn the scallops over, and after 1 minute, add the butter and the hazelnuts. When scallops are seared, transfer them to a plate and keep warm.
• Add lemon juice to the butter and hazelnuts. When the butter has browned add the 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley. (Add 1 or 2 drops of white truffle oil to the butter, if desired.)
• Toss the potatoes and asparagus in the brown butter until heated through. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Position the scallops over the vegetables and garnish with chopped parsley. Drizzle remaining brown butter over scallops and serve.

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.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE AND WHITE BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon nut oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, nuts and ginger; sauté until onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in vinegar, honey and 3 tablespoons nut oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle scallops with thyme, salt and pepper. Dredge in flour; shake off excess. Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of scallops; sauté until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to warm plate. Repeat with remaining butter, olive oil and scallops.
• Spoon White Bean Puree onto 6 plates. Top with scallops. Stir basil into vinaigrette and spoon over scallops.

PAN ROASTED SCALLOPS W SWEET POTATO PUREE AND WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• For the puree: Wash the yam and towel dry. Puncture it with a fork in several places, season it with salt and pepper, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for approximately 3 minutes (until the center is cooked and soft). Cut the cooked yam in half long ways and scoop out the flesh. Puree in a food processor or with a blender. Season with butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• For the vinaigrette: Place walnuts on a baking sheet and cover with the granulated sugar. Bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Then, in a bowl, whisk together the walnut oil, 4 tsp of olive oil, vinegar, walnuts, and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• For the scallops: Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat a non-stick pan on high heat (7 out of 10 on my stove) with the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil. Sauté the scallops a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Total sauté time should be about 6 minutes.
• Once scallops are ready, quickly toss 2 tsps of the vinaigrette with the arugula leaves in a separate bowl.
• For assembly: Spread the puree onto each plate into a flat pancake (you can warm the puree in the microwave if it has become cold). Top the puree pancakes with a small pile of seasoned arugula leaves. Then place 3 sautéed scallops on top of the leaves. Finish each plate by drizzling the vinaigrette over the top, drizzling around the plates edge for a "gourmet" finish!

SAUTéED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add to it 3 tablespoons of the butter. When it has melted and started to foam, place the scallops in the pan in a single layer, and season with a pinch or two of salt.
• Cook scallops without moving until the bottoms are golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then turn them over, add the wine and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

WHITE BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bacon; sauté until brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add carrot, onion and rosemary; sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high. Add cannellini and broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Puree mixture in processor. Return to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS STUFFED WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Mince the basil, garlic, salt and pepper together until very fine, almost a puree (or use a small food processor). Transfer to a small bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil to produce a thick paste.
• Cut most but not all of the way through the equator of each scallop; then, smear about 1/4 teaspoon of the basil mixture on the exposed center; close the scallop.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat for a minute; add the remaining oil, then the scallops, one at a time. Brown one side (it should take no longer than 1 or 2 minutes); then, turn it and brown the other.
• Place scallops on a bed of greens. Turn the heat to low, and add the lemon juice to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds; then, pour the pan juices over the scallops and greens, and serve.