Sea Scallops And Asparagus With Vermouth Recipes

SEA SCALLOPS WITH VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons and the chopped shallots to the pan. Cook shallots in oil a minute or so, add artichoke hearts and toss to heat through. Season artichokes with salt and pepper and combine with parsley and capers. Transfer artichokes to a serving dish.
• Wipe out pan and return to the heat, raising heat a bit. Season drained and trimmed scallops with salt and pepper. Add 1 turn of olive oil to the very hot pan and immediately place the scallops in the pan. Sear the scallops in a single layer, causing them to caramelize, 2 minutes on each side. Add vermouth to the pan and cook out the alcohol, 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange the scallops in vermouth over top of the artichokes and serve.

SEA SCALLOPS ON ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the mushrooms and combine them in a large, non-reactive saucepan with five cups of water. Simmer gently for about one-and-a-half hours.
• Strain the liquid, pressing to get all possible juice. Discard mushrooms or reserve. Return the liquid to the pan and boil over high heat until reduced to about a half cup. Set aside.
• Break off the woody asparagus bottoms and peel the lower third. Remove the heads and halve them the long way, then slice the stems across into coins about one-eighth-inch-thick. Combine the honey, lime juice, tarragon and thyme in a small cup.
• Put the dark olive oil in a wide, nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the asparagus pieces and stir-fry for one-and-a-half minutes, or just until they start to change color. Stir in the honey mixture and cook one minute more, then remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the mushroom essence to the asparagus pan, raise the heat to high and reduce to a generous quarter cup. Set aside.
• Right before serving, put one tablespoon of the light olive oil in a wide, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dust half the scallop pieces with seasoned flour (see note), place them in the pan and add one tablespoon of the butter. Cook the scallops about one-and-a-half minutes per side, basting with the fat. They should be golden, barely cooked. Set aside, uncovered, and repeat with the remaining oil, butter and scallops.
• Add the reduced mushroom essence to the scallop pan and bring to a boil, scraping. Stir in the asparagus, plus any escaped juices, and reheat.
• Make a nest of the asparagus on each plate and pour the juices over them. Arrange six scallop pieces on each nest and serve at once.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
• Add 2 turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons and the chopped shallots to the pan.
• Cook shallots in oil a minute or so.
• Add artichoke hearts and toss to heat through.
• Season artichokes with salt and pepper and combine with parsley and capers.
• Transfer artichokes to a serving dish.
• Wipe out pan and return to the heat, raising heat a bit.
• Season drained and trimmed scallops with salt and pepper.
• Add 1 turn of olive oil to the very hot pan and immediately place the scallops in the pan and sear in a single layer, causing them to carmelize, 2 minutes on each side.
• Add vermouth and cook out the alcohol, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Arrange scallops in vermouth over the top of the artichokes and serve.