History:
The history of where seared scallops originated is a bit hazy and even seasoned culinary historians find this a subject of debate. What we do know is that this is delicious and has been deemed so since the colonists arrived in New England. In the early 17th Century when settlers first arrived, they had access to a bounty of sumptuous seafood, scallops included. The scallop however was widely underappreciated until contemporary restaurant goers found their love for it, and for most of its history on the plate was overshadowed by oysters as well as shellfish, UNTIL TODAY!
Ingredients:
Large Scallops (As many as your heart desires)
Radish
Shallot
Garlic
White Wine
Champagne Vinegar
Granulated Sugar
Butter
Dijon Mustard
Salt
Pepper
Mixed greens
Lemon
Directions:
We are going to start quick pickling our radish slices (slice them as thin as you can for a more successful pickle). In a bowl, add your thin radish slices, champagne vinegar (I know, fancy, but it literally gives it the sweetness it needs), crushed garlic (yes, once again, I add garlic into everything I possibly can). Obviously, salt and pepper the hell out of it. Oh! Add a dash of sugar to balance out all the tartness. Put it into the fridge until ready to serve.
Moving onto the vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk together chopped shallot, chopped garlic, white wine, Dijon mustard, dash of granulated sugar, and champagne vinaigrette (oh yes, salt and pepper, but do I really need to add this step?).
HERE IS THE HARD PART. We need to nail the sear on these scallops. No worries, I will be walking you through this together. If you have butter and a pan, we can get through this. First, dry off your scallops with a hand towel (please be gentle, as you want them to keep their form!). Get your butter (salted, always) EXTREMELY hot in the pan (just don’t burn it). Test out the heat with a sprinkle of water (if you sprinkle the water and it hisses at you and you jump back out of fear, it’s perfect). Put those scallops in that pan, that’s where they are destined to be. DO NOT let lose scallops stick, they are so fragile and gentle in the pan. The way to avoid stick is to slightly shake your pan throughout the process… (DON’T give the scallops a migraine, just guide them in the pan). Lightly season at the end with salt and pepper before taking out. After you flip these beauties (GOLDEN SEAR, nothing else is acceptable) add a nice SLAB of butter to the pan to ensure these scallops remain hydrated.
We need to balance out this acidity. Add the walnuts, a few pieces of apple, sugar, and BUTTER into a pan. Slowly cook down (because sugar burns so fast, trust me, I know this personally). Cook until walnuts get flavored with these flavors (yes, you must taste this until it’s right). Remove from heat.
Toss your mixed greens in your champagne vinaigrette, top with pickled radishes, toasted walnuts, and scallops.
Official Statement: Tonight, you have a pan seared scallop on top of a champagne vinaigrette tossed mixed green salad with green apples, pickled radishes, and toasted walnut crumble.
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