Scallops With Pancetta And Asparagus Food

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISP PANCETTA & GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Set aside 1 Tbs. of the shallots and put the rest in a 3-quart saucepan with 2 Tbs. of the oil and the garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until the shallots are soft and fragrant but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and the broth and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and cook until the peas are tender, 5 to 8 minutes for fresh peas, 3 to 4 minutes for frozen. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and purée to a smooth consistency, adding a little water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the purée to the saucepan, cover, and set aside on the stovetop to keep warm. Put the pancetta on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 14 minutes. Set aside in a warm spot. In a small bowl combine the parsley, lemon zest, and the reserved 1 Tbs. shallots and set aside. Pat the scallops dry and season them generously with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the scallops and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and almost firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Portion the warm pea purée among four large salad plates or between two dinner plates. Arrange the scallops on the purée and crumble the pancetta on top. Sprinkle the gremolata over all and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.

LEMON ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add asparagus, cover, and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
• Heat chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat; keep at a simmer while preparing risotto.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and celery until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in garlic and arborio rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly toasted, about 5 more minutes.
• Pour white wine into rice mixture, stirring constantly, until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir chicken broth into rice, one ladleful at a time, allowing liquid to absorb completely before adding more while stirring constantly, about 20 minutes. Add asparagus and stir.
• Remove from heat and mix in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

PAN-FRIED SCALLOPS WITH PARSNIP PURéE & PANCETTA CRUMBS

Steps:

• To make the pancetta crumbs (which you can do up to a day ahead), set a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pancetta and sizzle for 5 mins, turning, until coloured. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs into the pan and continue frying and stirring until browned and crisp. Blitz the mixture in a food processor to fine crumbs. Mix in the thyme and store in an airtight container if making ahead.
• To make the parsnip purée, tip the parsnips into a small saucepan with the milk and some seasoning. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 mins until the parsnips are tender. Purée the mixture in the food processor, then add the butter. Rub through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, ready to reheat.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Season the scallops and lay them in a circle around the edge of the pan (see step 1). When the last scallop has been added, leave for 1 min until browned. Then, starting with the first scallop, gently turn (step 2). When all the scallops are cooked, transfer to a warm plate and quickly add the lemon juice to your hot pan, scraping the bottom to form a sauce and adding a splash of water if needed.
• Reheat the parsnip purée, then swipe onto 3 plates (step 3). Top with the scallops, pancetta crumbs and juices from the pan. Serve straight away.

SCALLOP RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat; lower the heat so the stock stays warm without simmering.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the rice, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is coated and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until completely absorbed, about 1 minute.
• Ladle about 1/4 cup hot stock into the risotto and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Continue to add the stock in additions of about 1/4 cup, gradually working up to 1/2-cup additions, stirring until absorbed before adding more. Continue adding broth and stirring until the rice is tender and creamy, about 18 minutes. (You may have leftover stock, or may need to add a little water if you run out; this will depend on your rice.)
• While the rice cooks, trim the woody end of the asparagus off and cut the stalks into 3/4-inch pieces.
• Once the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the asparagus, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the Parmesan, lemon juice and lemon zest, stirring until the risotto is creamy. Add a splash of water to loosen, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the scallops and continue to cook until just cooked through, about 1 more minute. Transfer to a plate.
• Divide the risotto between bowls and top with the scallops; sprinkle with chives and more Parmesan.

SEARED SCALLOP GEMELLI WITH ASPARAGUS, SNAP PEAS AND PECORINO

Steps:

• Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions; drain.
• Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, and cook 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels. Return skillet to cooktop, and add 2 tablespoons oil, onion, and garlic; cook, over medium-high heat, 5 minutes or until onion starts to soften, stirring occasionally. Add asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until bright green. Stir in peas, and cook 2 minutes. Add vermouth; cook 1 minute or until reduced to a glaze. Stir in tarragon and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add to skillet, and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
• Return large skillet to cooktop. Add cooked pasta and 2 tablespoons butter, and cook 1 minute or until butter melts. Remove skillet from heat, and stir in cheese, half of reserved pancetta, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Divide pasta among 4 bowls, top each evenly with scallops, and sprinkle with remaining pancetta.

SCALLOPS GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Halve the pancetta slices to make two thin strips of pancetta. Wrap each scallop tightly with the strips of pancetta, forming a criss-cross pattern across the scallop (like a present). Heat olive oil and pan-fry scallops briefly on each side until the scallop is cooked through (when they lose their transparency and turn opaque: approximately two minutes on each side).
• Blanch the asparagus in rapidly boiling water for two minutes.
• Mix the wine and cheese and reduce in a small saucepan until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
• Assemble the dish by placing 3 asparagus together, place 3 scallops on top and drizzle with 1/2 the gorgonzola sauce per person.

BAKED SEA SCALLOPS WITH FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Grease 4 individual ovenproof serving dishes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Divide the scallops evenly among the dishes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Core and seed the red and green peppers and cut them into thin strips about 1 1/2 inches long.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet. Add the onions, garlic and peppers. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until wilted. Add the tomatoes, olives, oregano, fennel, wine, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Spoon the mixture evenly over the scallops. Dot with the cheese and place in the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS, CORN, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary and halve any large scallops. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and in a bowl toss with salt and thyme. In a large non-stick skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and with a slotted spoon transfer to paper towels to drain. Increase heat to moderately high and in drippings remaining in skillet sear scallops, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. With slotted spoon transfer scallops to a clean bowl.
• In same skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté scallions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Add corn and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Return scallops to skillet and heat through, seasoning mixture with salt and pepper.
• Serve scallops sprinkled with bacon.

SCALLOPS WITH PANCETTA AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Cook asparagus 2-3 minutes in boiling water until barely tender. Remove. Cut into 1" pieces. Heat 1-2 tbs walnut oil. Toss in shallots and pancetta/prosciutto and cook until crisp. Remove. Separate radicchio leaves, toss them in a bit of walnut oil, and grill or saute in a separate pan. Season scallops with fine sea salt and white pepper. Make sure they are dry. Add more walnut oil if necessary. Quickly saute scallops on medium high heat until brown on both sides, turning once. A total of perhaps two minutes at most. Do not over cook or suffer a thousand deaths. When the scallops are turned, toss in the asparagus and the prosciutto/pancetta mixture to reheat. Place the radicchio on plates, pour a small amount of walnut oil on it, then place the scallop-asparagus-prosciutto mixture atop and serve.