Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops Accompanied By Potato Cucumber Salad And Verjus Du Perigord Recipes

QUICK PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in lemon juice and cook until evaporated, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits, about 3 minutes.
• Place scallops 1/2 inch apart in the skillet. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip and continue cooking until the second side is deeply browned, about 1 minute more.
• Transfer scallops to a serving plate; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into pea-sized pieces, put it on a small plate, and stick it in the freezer. Heat a large skillet over medium-heat high for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil and wait for the butter to melt.
• Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, add them to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper; work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet. Cook, turning once, until they are well browned on both sides but not quite cooked through, 2 minutes per side (less if the scallops are under 1 inch across; more if they're over). Transfer the scallops to a plate.
• Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet with a spatula. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the liquid in the skillet thickens, a minute or two, then whisk in the butter you chilled in the freezer, one bit at a time, to make a creamy sauce, adding another tablespoon or two of liquid if necessary.
• Return the scallops to the skillet and add the chives. Adjust the heat so the sauce bubbles gently and toss to coat the scallops with the sauce. To serve, transfer the scallops to a platter and spoon the sauce over all.
• Variation:
• Seared Scallops With Cherry Tomatoes and Basil: Skip the lemon juice. Cut 1 pint cherry tomatoes in half. Add the tomatoes with the garlic and wine and cook until they wrinkle a bit and release their juice, 2 or 3 minutes. Use chopped fresh basil leaves instead of chives.
• Cooks' Notes
• Releasing From The Pan: The scallops will offer no resistance when they're ready to turn. Press down gently while the scallops cook to encourage full contact with the pan, then listen for a hiss: That's moisture heating and evaporating.
• Getting A Good Sear: The idea is to brown the scallops well on both sides without overcooking them, so keep the heat as high as you can without creating too much smoke.
• Building Sauce With Butter: After you add the liquid and deglaze the pan, the addition of butter develops fantastic creaminess and richness.
• Finishing The Dish: As soon as the scallops are cooked through completely and coated with the sauce, remove the pan from the heat; they will continue to cook. Nick-and-peek into one if you need to check for doneness.

JUMBO BAKED DIVER SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the butter and garlic (and the white wine, if using) into an oven proof baking dish (I use a pyrex pie plate).
• Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until butter is melted (or, you may place the dish of butter into the hot oven for a few minutes, until butter melts).
• Rinse scallops well under cold water. Arrange rinsed scallops (no need to dry them) in the dish of melted butter.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, parsley and lemon thyme. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over scallops.
• Squeeze the juice of one lemon quarter evenly over the scallops.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.
• To Serve:.
• Serve with additional fresh lemon wedges at the table.
• A delicious meal served with a crisp green salad and pasta or French bread, plus a glass of white wine! Or, may be served as an appetizer.

PAN-SEARED LEMON AND GARLIC SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place scallops in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Combine 5 tablespoons warm butter, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl; whisk until combined. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• At the same time, remove scallops from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, making sure it does not smoke. Brush scallops with garlic mixture and add to the pan. Cook until the bottoms begin to sear and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops, brush with garlic mixture, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove scallops from the heat and let them continue to cook while they rest, off the heat, for 5 more minutes. Plate and serve.

PAN SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Clean porcinis with a damp cloth. Remove caps from stems and slice. Trim outer part of stem with paring knife, slice, and set aside.
• Peel cipollinis and cut lengthwise. Carmelize in 2 tablespoons clarified butter and set aside.
• Heat oil on saute pan. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Sear until carmelized on both sides.
• Wash baby spinach and dry. Add butter to a small saute pan and melt. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
• Wash fingerling potatoes and slice thin using a mandolin or knife. Season with salt and pepper. Brown in 2 tablespoons clarified butter.
• Combine mushrooms, spinach and potatoes on center of plate. Top with scallops. Place onions around scallops and top it all off with Hot Bacon Vinaigrette.
• In a saucepot, render bacon. Add shallots and sweat. Add vinegar and reduce by 3/4. Add demi-glace and reduce by 1/2. Melt in whole butter slowly. Strain. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

PAN SEARED DIVER'S SEA SCALLOPS WITH FRESH BLACKBERRY COULIS

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine Blackberry wine, bay leaves, allspice berries, whole cloves, Serrano pepper, blackberries and dash sea salt.
• Bring wine to a full boil and reduce by half.
• Place Blackberry Coulis in a bowl. Discard bay leaves, allspice and cloves. Puree Coulis and strain using a fine-mesh sieve. Hold Blackberry Coulis warm for service.
• Rinse scallops under cold water and pat dry. In a bowl combine Old Bay Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, fine sea salt, white pepper and whisk in olive oil. Toss scallops until coated.
• In a sauté pan melt butter, add scallops and sear 1-2 minutes per side. Do not over crowd the pan. Add Chardonnay wine and reduce by half.
• Cover warm plates with Blackberry Coulis, place 3-scallops per plate.
• Garnish plates with Fresh Mint Sprigs and Serrano Pepper.