Scallop Verrines, The Saturday Blog Showcase

This weeks Saturday Blog Showcase is hosted by Lori at All that Splatters. She and Ann at Tibeault's Table, co-host this Showcase, taking turns every week. Thanks ladies! In case your not familiar, every week you prepare a recipe from another blog and feature it on your own.  Take a look at the links and enjoy some new ideas, foods and recipes.

 

I chose one of my favorite blogs this week. Kate at Serendipity,  has a variety of lovely recipes to choose from. Her Scallop Verrines looked so delicious, I decided to serve them at my last dinner party. Kate suggests many different flavors for the verrines. I choose a simple vegetable mix and tossed together a lemon juice a touch of French mustard and hazelnut oil from my favorite artisan shop in Charroux.

 

Everyone raved, it was an unqualified success. The next morning I sent Kate's link to all the guests, because verrines are just the tip of Kate's iceberg. There is quite a lot to discover on this blog. Give her a visit, you will be as dazzled as I am.

I served these during cocktails before we all sat down for dinner.

Sounds fancy, no? Actually we all stood around the stainless steel table that serves as an island in my kitchen eating, drinking wine and having a good old fashion chat.

It was actually quite simple. I julienne golden beets, celeriac, radishes, fennel and thinly sliced asparagus.  I blanched the asparagus, tossed the whole bunch in a light dressing made with lemon juice, grape-seed oil, as well as hazelnut oil and a touch of mustard, both from Charroux. Next time I will add a bit of chopped hazelnuts.  

Kate made her verrines with an Asian accent. I made my to complement my french menu. You can make yours to suit your own menu and taste.

Honestly, this summer I'll  try this with a Mexican accent of cilantro and chilies.

All text and photos are property of The Gypsy Chef.

The Manhattan Scallop First Course

After having had a fabulous lunch at Casa Mono in Manhattan yesterday, I was dying to try my hand at a stacked, eclectic, stylish dish. I raided the fridge to see what I had on hand. I found scallops, arugula, half a pomegranate and some Cara Cara oranges. I seared the scallops in a cast iron skillet, dressed the arugula with a Champagne Vinaigrette, cut up a few segments from those beautiful sweet pink oranges, and topped the whole thing in pomegranate seeds. The entire dish took about 20 minutes and tasted great. It's elegant enough for a dinner party or makes a perfect lunch entree.

Manhattan Scallop Salad

4-6 sea scallops, fresh and sweet
2 handfuls of baby arugula
1 Cara Cara orange
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons Champagne Vinaigrette

Heat a cast iron skillet to the burning point. When it starts smoking, you'll know it's ready. Add the scallops. DO NOT touch them, let them sear. The scallops will smoke and seem like they're burning. They're not. Once seared you can turn them with a metal spatula. If they are not releasing from the pan easily, they aren't seared yet, let them cook for a few more minutes.
When they're ready, turn them over and sear the other side. When finished, remove and reserve. Don't worry about the scallops not cooking through, as they sit, they will continue to cook.

Peel the orange, using a fillet knife. It's able to cut close to the skin leaving as much flesh as possible. Cut off both ends and remove sections of peel a little at a time.
Remove the sections of the orange by cutting between the with pith that divides the segments.
Now you have beautiful segments with not a wisp of white pith.
Remove the pomegranate seeds by splitting the pomegranate in half and tapping it with a knife. The seeds will fall right out.

To assemble, toss the arugula with the vinaigrette and place in the center of the plate. Stack the scallops as high as you like alongside the arugula. Place the orange segments next to the arugula and sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the lot. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the scallops and oranges, and serve.
Serves 2

Champagne Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon honey
sea salt
freshly ground white pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor or a blender, add the champagne vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. While the machine is running pour the olive oil into the feed tube. This will allow it to slowly drip into the vinegar mixture and form an emulsion. Once the oil is incorporated, the dressing is done.


All recipes and photographs are the sole property of The Gypsy Chef unless otherwise credited.