Scallops With Pea Purée Food

SCALLOPS WITH THAI-SCENTED PEA PUREE

Steps:

• Cook the peas in boiling, slightly salted water until tender, then drain and tip into a blender, adding 1 tablespoon curry paste and the creme fraiche or sour cream. Season to taste with salt and perhaps add more curry paste, depending on how strong it is.
• Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan until foamy, and then fry the scallops for 2 minutes a side. If you are using big scallops then it is sometimes easier to cut them in half across.
• When they are cooked, they will have just lost their raw look in the middle and be lusciously tender, while golden and almost caramelised on the outside.
• Lift the scallops onto two warmed plates and then deglaze the hot pan by squeezing in the lime juice. Stir to mix well and pick up every scrap of flavour, and then pour over the scallops on each plate.
• Dish up the pea puree alongside the scallops, and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro or Thai basil. Serve with another wedge of lime if you feel like it.

SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, rosemary and oil. Place over medium-low heat until the oil starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse.
• Place peas in a large pan of lightly salted water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until peas are tender but still bright green, cooked slightly longer than usual. Drain, and transfer to a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the infused oil (discard garlic and rosemary). Process until pureed, then return to the pan, cover, and keep warm.
• Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, lightly dust the scallop halves with seasoned cornstarch, and add to the pan. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes each side.
• To serve, divide pea puree between two plates and add scallops. Serve immediately.

SCALLOPS WITH TURMERIC AND A PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Combine scallops, oil, garlic and turmeric in a bowl; refrigerate covered for at least 3 hours or overnight. Drain scallops over medium bowl and reserve the marinade.
• Cook scallops in batches in a heated small pan about 2 minutes each side until almost cooked; cover to keep warm.
• Bring reserved marinade to the boil in same pan.
• Serve the scallops with pea purée and drizzle with marinade.
• Pea Purée: Heat butter in medium pan; cook onion stirring until soft.
• Stir in peas cook stirring for 2 minutes.
• Add wine, bring to the boil and then simmer covered stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the peas are tender.
• Blend or process pea mixture in batches until almost smooth.

SCALLOPS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS WITH PEA PUREE

Steps:

• While the hot-water tap runs, put the peas in a 1 1/2 quart microwave-safe container. Add 3 tablespoons hot tap water, cover and cook in a microwave oven on high power for 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Remove and discard any stems from the mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Remove the tough, small strip on the sides of the scallops. If necessary, cut the scallops to make them as close to uniform in size as possible.
• Raise the heat under the skillet to high and add the scallops. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, turning once halfway through. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add the herbes de Provence, vermouth and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes while you coarsely chop the chives. The mushrooms will be just wilted and the scallops lightly browned.
• Put the cooked peas and their liquid in a food processor with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper to taste, and puree. To serve, ring a serving platter with the puree and put the scallops and mushrooms in the middle. Sprinkle with the chives.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISPY BACON, AND MINT OIL

Steps:

• 1. To make the mint oil, put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz. Chill for 2 hours to let the flavour develop, then strain.
• 2. Cook the peas with the mint in salted, boiling water until just tender but not soft. Drain and refresh in very cold water.
• 3. Purée the peas in a blender until very smooth, or push through a sieve.
• 4. Grill the bacon, put it on kitchen paper and keep warm.
• 5. Heat 2 large frying pans until very hot but not smoking. Season the scallops on both sides with sea salt. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) mild olive oil to each pan and then put in the scallops. They should sizzle. Cook each scallop for 45 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan and keep somewhere warm.
• 6. Whisk all the honey vinaigrette ingredients together.
• 7. Divide the pea purée between 6 warmed plates and place 3 pieces of bacon across each portion. Arrange 3 scallops around the purée and drizzle with the mint oil. Put some salad leaves dressed with honey vinaigrette on top.

CURRY-DUSTED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE

Steps:

• Cook peas on stovetop with water (1/4 cup) according to package directions (do not drain). Pulse in a food processor with cooking water, butter, scallions, lime juice (to taste), and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a coarse purée. Season with salt.
• Stir together curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on a plate. Pat scallops dry and coat all over with curry mixture.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then sauté scallops in 2 batches, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to a clean plate. Serve scallops over pea purée.

PEA PUREE WITH SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Pea Puree:.
• Cook peas in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 2 minutes for frozen. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Set 2 tablespoons peas aside for garnish. Place remaining peas in processor. Add cheese, mint leaves, butter, and garlic. Puree pea mixture, adding pea cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if too stiff, to form light and creamy puree. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
• Shrimp and Scallops:.
• Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp and scallops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook shrimp and scallops until golden brown outside and just opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side.
• Microwave pea puree in 15-second intervals until warm. Spoon puree into center of plates. Place 2 shrimp and 2 scallops onto each plate, arranging atop puree. Sprinkle with reserved peas from pea puree, lemon peel, mint leaves, sea salt, and pepper. Drizzle each serving with extra- virgin olive oil and serve.