Seared Scallops Polenta Demi Glace Recipes

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH POLENTA AND AVOCADO CREAM

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onions in half the butter until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add corn and peppers; cook 4-5 minutes longer. Stir in broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the pan, 15-20 minutes. Stir in cheese. Remove from heat; set aside and keep warm., Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the avocado, 1/4 cup water, cream and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth, 30 seconds. Add additional water as needed to reach desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until serving., Sprinkle scallops with remaining salt and pepper. In a large skillet, saute scallops in remaining butter until firm and opaque, 1-2 minutes per side. Serve with polenta and avocado cream.

PAN SEARED SCALLOP POLENTA ROUNDS WITH A SUN-DRIED TOMATO ARTICHOKE PESTO

Steps:

• Using a blender, combine all of the pesto ingredients and blend until roughly chopped, but do not pureed.
• Slice the polenta into 1/4-inch thick slices. Using a circular cutter, cut out 16 rounds.
• Coat a nonstick pan with olive oil and put over medium-low heat. Add the polenta rounds and sear them until crispy.
• Heat another nonstick pan, coated with olive oil over medium heat and add the scallops. Sear them on each side until they have a nice brown caramelization. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the polenta rounds on a platter and top each with a scallop. Garnish with pesto and serve.

DEMI-GLACE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pour the oil into a metal roasting pan and put it in the preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes to heat up the pan and condition it with the oil. Spread the bones out on the roasting pan and cook until browned, 30 to 45 minutes, turning the bones occasionally so they brown evenly.
• Transfer the bones to a large-enough stockpot to accommodate the bones, 6 quarts ice water and more. Use tongs to transfer the bones so you do not pour any fat into the stockpot. Add the ice water to the stockpot and bring to a simmer. Allow the stock to cook for 4 hours at a slow simmer. Skim the surface of the stock occasionally to remove any fat or impurities.
• While the stock is simmering, discard all but about 1/4 cup of the fat from the roasting pan. Bring the pan back up to temperature over high heat on the stovetop. Add the onions and carrots and cook until golden brown and caramelized. Add the celery and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf and cook, stirring regularly, until the tomato paste gets a brick red color, about 15 minutes. Add 1 cup of the red wine and stir it into the mirepoix (vegetable) mixture.
• Add the mirepoix mixture to the stock after the 4-hour simmering time. Bring the stock back up to a simmer and continue to cook it for another 2 hours.
• In a separate pot, bring the remaining 7 cups red wine to a boil and cook until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes.
• When the stock has simmered for 6 hours, strain it through a chinois and combine the strained stock with the reduced red wine. Bring the stock to a boil, lower the heat to a hard simmer and reduce the stock until it has a consistency that coats the back of spoon and is about 2 quarts (8 cups) in volume, up to 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper and then strain the sauce though a chinois again.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON AND BACON

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and fry the bacon pieces until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Reserve the bacon fat in the skillet and transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Meanwhile, arrange the scallops so they lay flat and are evenly spaced on a plate. Pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Cook the scallops, undisturbed, over high heat until they are golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the scallops and cook for 1 minute more. Turn off the heat, add the lemon zest and juice, parsley and reserved bacon pieces and toss to combine. Divide the scallops among 4 plates or a serving platter and serve immediately.