Seared Scallops With Pea Puree Recipes

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PUREE

Steps:

• Add butter in a skillet over medium heat, add garlic and shallots and cook until soft.
• Add peas and 1 cup of water or broth and cook until sauce is reduced.
• Set aside 1½ cups of the cooked peas, keep warm
• Place the remaining pea mixture into a food processor, add the half and half, a pinch of the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pulse until you get a nice creamy consistency that you desire, I did not make mine completely smooth.You can add more cream if so desired.
• Place in a small sauce pan and keep warm.
• For the scallops, get your skillet nice and hot, do not use a nonstick pan.
• Salt and pepper your scallops and make sure they are dry.
• When pan is nice and hot drizzle olive oil on the bottom.
• Place scallops in pan and don't move them until you see a dark golden crust form.
• Flip them over when crust is formed, cook for 1 more minute, then remove.
• To plate spread pea puree on a plate, add scallops and sprinkle some of those reserved whole peas all around.
• Garnish with a little lemon zest on top or if your lucky to find some lemon flaked salt like I did, you can use that instead.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISP PANCETTA & GREMOLATA

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. Set aside 1 Tbs. of the shallots and put the rest in a 3-quart saucepan with 2 Tbs. of the oil and the garlic. Cook over medium-low heat until the shallots are soft and fragrant but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and the broth and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and cook until the peas are tender, 5 to 8 minutes for fresh peas, 3 to 4 minutes for frozen. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and purée to a smooth consistency, adding a little water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the purée to the saucepan, cover, and set aside on the stovetop to keep warm. Put the pancetta on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 14 minutes. Set aside in a warm spot. In a small bowl combine the parsley, lemon zest, and the reserved 1 Tbs. shallots and set aside. Pat the scallops dry and season them generously with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and the remaining 1 Tbs. oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the scallops and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and almost firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Portion the warm pea purée among four large salad plates or between two dinner plates. Arrange the scallops on the purée and crumble the pancetta on top. Sprinkle the gremolata over all and finish with a generous drizzle of olive oil.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MINT, PEAS, AND BACON

Steps:

• Place scallops on a paper towel-lined plate and pat very dry with additional paper towels. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper total.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil, covered, in a small pot. Add peas and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook until peas are bright green and tender, about 2 minutes for fresh and 4 minutes for frozen. Drain peas through a strainer set over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned and bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and shallot to a small bowl, reserving fat in skillet. Add 1/2 cup cooked peas to bacon mixture.
• Purée lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, the remaining 1 1/2 cups peas, and 1/2 cup reserved pea cooking liquid in a blender. Add oil and pureé until smooth. Add 2 Tbsp. mint leaves and pureé until just combined but pieces of mint are still visible. Divide pea purée among 4 plates.
• Heat skillet with reserved fat over high until just barely smoking. Working in batches and adding more oil if necessary, sear scallops until a golden brown crust has formed and scallop releases from skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Top pea purée with scallops and bacon-pea mixture, then sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. mint.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE, CRISPY BACON, AND MINT OIL

Steps:

• 1. To make the mint oil, put all the ingredients in a blender and whizz. Chill for 2 hours to let the flavour develop, then strain.
• 2. Cook the peas with the mint in salted, boiling water until just tender but not soft. Drain and refresh in very cold water.
• 3. Purée the peas in a blender until very smooth, or push through a sieve.
• 4. Grill the bacon, put it on kitchen paper and keep warm.
• 5. Heat 2 large frying pans until very hot but not smoking. Season the scallops on both sides with sea salt. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) mild olive oil to each pan and then put in the scallops. They should sizzle. Cook each scallop for 45 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan and keep somewhere warm.
• 6. Whisk all the honey vinaigrette ingredients together.
• 7. Divide the pea purée between 6 warmed plates and place 3 pieces of bacon across each portion. Arrange 3 scallops around the purée and drizzle with the mint oil. Put some salad leaves dressed with honey vinaigrette on top.

SCALLOPS WITH PEA PURéE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, rosemary and oil. Place over medium-low heat until the oil starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture to infuse.
• Place peas in a large pan of lightly salted water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until peas are tender but still bright green, cooked slightly longer than usual. Drain, and transfer to a food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the infused oil (discard garlic and rosemary). Process until pureed, then return to the pan, cover, and keep warm.
• Season the cornstarch with salt and pepper to taste. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil. When the oil is hot, lightly dust the scallop halves with seasoned cornstarch, and add to the pan. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes each side.
• To serve, divide pea puree between two plates and add scallops. Serve immediately.