Sea Scallops In Parchment Pouches Food

FISH EN PAPILLOTE, MEDITERRNANEAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Season the fish with kosher salt and pepper on both sides.
• Prepare the sauce. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic and spices in a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and whisk to combine.
• Prepare 4 large pieces of parchment paper (about 12 inches or so on each side). Fold the parchment pieces down the middle to mark two halves.
• Assemble the pouches. Place each fish fillet on the bottom half of a parchment piece. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce over the fish. Add 1 lemon slice, 1 tomato slice, and 1 bell pepper slice on top.
• Fold the top half of the parchment paper over the fish and veggies and go around to fold and secure each piece of parchment around the fish and veggies creating a well-wrapped pouch.
• Place the fish pouches on a large baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack of your heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.
• To serve, leave the fish and veggies in their own closed parchment pouches and transfer each pouch to a serving plate.

SEA SCALLOPS IN PARCHMENT POUCHES

Steps:

• Cut out six 12-inch squares of parchment. Lay squares on a clean, dry work surface.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine scallops, fennel, cilantro, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, and season with pepper; toss to combine.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Divide the mixture evenly among the parchment squares, centering the mixture in each square. Using kitchen twine, cinch the corners of squares, forming little pouches, and tie closed.
• Pour a 1/2-inch layer of salt in the bottom of a 12-by-2-inch round casserole dish. Place the six pouches on top of the salt, and place the whole lemon in the center. Cover the pouches and the lemon with salt, allowing the tops of the pouches to stick out.
• Bake the scallops 30 minutes. Carefully lift pouches out of salt, brush off excess, and transfer to individual plates. Serve.

SEA SCALLOPS POACHED IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• For 1 1/2 pounds whole scallops. Simmer 1/2 tablespoon minced shallots for 3 minutes with 1/3 cup each of dry white French vermouth and water plus 1/2 teaspoon salt and a small imported bay leaf. Then add the scallops and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, just until lightly springy to the touch. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid at least 10 minutes, to pick up its flavor. Remove scallops, discard bay leaf, and rapidly boil down liquid until almost syrupy.
• serving suggestions: fines herbes
• Stir fresh minced parsley and/or dill, tarragon or chives into the reduced liquid, and briefly reheat scallops, folding in, if you wish, a few tablespoons of heavy cream.
• provençal-with tomatoes
• Stir 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped fresh tomatoes (see box, page 30) and 1 large clove of minced garlic into the reduced liquid. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, then uncover and boil down rapidly to thicken. Season. Fold in the scallops and reheat briefly. Fold in minced parsley or other green herbs and serve.
• Note
• Simmering times for quartered sea scallops and bay scallops, 15 to 30 seconds; for calicos, bring just to the simmer.