Sea Scallops With Vegetable Ragoût Food

SEA SCALLOPS WITH VEGETABLE RAGOûT

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté about 30 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high; add asparagus tips, sugar snap peas and thyme sprigs and sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add vegetable broth and lemon juice, then lettuce and peas. Cover and cook until lettuce is wilted, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Whisk 1 tablespoon butter into ragout. Remove from heat.
• Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add scallops to skillet and sear until brown and just opaque in center, about 2 minutes per side. Divide ragout among 4 bowls. Top with scallops, dividing equally. Garnish each with 1 lemon wedge.

SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place a layer of paper towels on top of a large plate or baking sheet and gently lay the sea scallops on top to rid them of any excess moisture. With the scallops still on the paper towel, grab a large pinch of kosher salt and sprinkle it from a foot or more over the scallops. The height will help distribute the salt evenly.
• Use a pepper grinder to crack fresh black pepper in the same manner, getting every scallop.
• Flip the scallops and season the other side. This is important!
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed stainless-steel saute pan over high heat. Do not use nonstick-you'll never achieve the proper caramelization!
• Wait.
• Wait.
• Watch as the pan begins to smoke.
• Now, carefully, because the pan and oil are very hot, use tongs or your fingers to place each scallop individually in the pan, leaving room between them. Once the scallops are in the pan, do not move them or the pan or turn the heat down. You're going to want to, because the pan will be hot and splattering and smoking, but resist! You're getting your hard sear. Don't interfere or the scallops will stick.
• After 2 minutes, use a spatula or tongs to gently turn one of the scallops and assess how dark the sear is. If it's dark brown and caramelized, it's ready to be flipped and seared on the other side for at least 2 minutes more to achieve an identical sear.
• When the scallops have been flipped and seared on both sides, they're fully cooked and ready to eat. Remove them from the pan using tongs or a spatula. Add the butter to the pan and a squeeze of lemon juice and scrape up the bit on the pan to create a sauce. Serve the scallops hot and topped with the pan sauce and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add green onions, carrot and garlic and sauté until carrot is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to plate. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in same skillet over medium heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Return sautéed vegetable mixture to skillet. Add tomato, cilantro, lemon juice and vinegar. Simmer until scallops are just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.

SCALLOPS WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine the water, wine, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add the scallops; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain scallops, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Set the scallops and liquid aside.
• Saute the mushrooms, green onions, and celery in butter in a large skillet until vegetables are tender.
• Add the snow peas, and saute an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
• Combine the reserved 1/2 cup scallop liquid, soy sauce, cornstarch, cracked pepper, lemon juice, and hot sauce; whisk together.
• Add the cornstarch mixture to the vegetable mixture, and cook until thickened and bubbly, stirring frequently. Stir in the reserved scallops and the pimento; cook until thoroughly heated.
• Serve immediately over rice.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH SPICY CARROT COULIS

Steps:

• Make the coulis: Put carrots, garlic, onion, vinegar, cayenne, salt, honey and broth in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until carrots are very soft, about 15 minutes. Purée all ingredients thoroughly in a blender and strain if necessary - it should be very smooth. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Coulis should not be too thick, but rather similar to a thin milkshake. Keep warm if not made ahead.
• Prepare the scallops: Set 2 wide cast-iron skillets or a large griddle over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, film with olive oil. As oil heats and just before cooking, season scallops with salt and pepper on both sides. When oil is wavy, place scallops in pan without crowding. Leave scallops undisturbed to brown well and crisp on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, until cooked through, but juicy. Place scallops browned side up on paper towels to blot bottoms.
• To serve, ladle about 1/4 cup warm coulis onto individual warmed dinner plates. Set scallops on top, browned side up. Sprinkle with cilantro, chives and sliced chiles. Serve with lime wedges.