Seared Scallops with Wild Mushrooms and Tangerine Sauce →

December 05, 2021 by FoodBlogChef in Starters

Here’s a starter or small-plate dish that is elegant, delicious, and surprisingly easy to prepare. I first tasted a version of this dish at one of our local restaurants and was so impressed I had to make my own. After some research, this is what I came up with. The richness of seared scallops and sautéed mushrooms are paired with a simple citrusy sauce that takes only a few minutes to prepare. Serve it as a starter for a more elaborate meal, or as a small-plate alongside a simple green salad for a delightful light meal that you can have on the table in less than a half-hour. Enjoy!

Seared Scallops with Wild Mushrooms and Tangerine Sauce
Serves 2
Ingredients:

6 large scallops (preferably “dry” not chemically treated “wet” scallops; muscle removed
6 ounces of chopped wild mushrooms, stems removed (any combination of shiitake, oyster, or cremini will work)
½ cup tangerine, satsuma mandarin, or clementine juice (pulp removed; I used 7 satsuma mandarin)
2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
a few drops of fresh lemon juice to taste
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 teaspoons butter
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon Triple Sec or other orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

Preparation:

1. Make the Sauce:

Juice the fruit until you have ½ cup; set aside a small amount of juice to combine with the cornstarch.
Add the juice, butter, and salt to a non-reactive saucepan and heat gently until just simmering and the butter has melted
Mix the cornstarch with the remaining juice until smooth and whisk into the simmering juice and butter mixture. Continue stirring until the sauce has thickened. (Don’t bring it to a boil.)
Add the Triple Sec if using and continue to simmer very slowly. If the sauce thickens too much stir in a small amount of water, stirring until you have the consistency you want.
Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and sweetness. If the sauce is too acidic, add a teaspoon of honey at a time until you have the desired sweetness. If the sauce is too sweet, add a few drops of lemon juice until you have the balance you want.
Set aside covered to stay warm (you can reheat the sauce on your stove-top or microwave when ready to serve)

2. Sautée the Mushrooms:

Add a tablespoon of butter to a heavy bottom skillet and sautée the shallots over medium heat for less than a minute before adding the chopped mushrooms and thyme.
Stir until the mushrooms have released their water and they just begin to brown.
Remove from the heat and adjust the salt to your taste. Set aside covered to keep warm.

3. Sautée the Scallops:

Make sure to dry the surface of the scallops well before sprinkling lightly with salt.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a heavy bottom skillet over high heat until the oil just begins to smoke.
Add the scallops around the outer edge of the skillet (that’s where the heat will be uniform); add a knob of butter and baste the scallops with the melted butter. Sear for 2 minutes without moving the scallops; turn over the scallops and cook for another two minutes while basting with the now brown butter.
Remove the scallops from the pan and plate on a small mound of the sautéed mushrooms. Pour a ring of warm sauce around the mound of mushrooms. Enjoy!

Wine pairing: Sauvignon blanc, Chablis, Vermentino, or Albariño are all good choices to pair with this dish. You could also try a dry fruity Rosé.

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Seared Scallops with Lemony Pistachio Caper Sauce →

June 07, 2021 by FoodBlogChef in Starters

This recipe, adapted from Food and Wine magazine to suit my tastes, can either be served as a starter for a special meal or served along with a green salad for a light meal. The addition of a simple relish of sweet roasted Piquillo Peppers and tangy pickled Jalapeños provides a nice counterpoint to the richness of the scallops and sauce. It’s very easy to make. Give it a try!

serves 4
Ingredients:

1-2 anchovy fillets (to taste) coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped pistachios
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of cayenne
12 sea scallops, tough muscle removed
2 tablespoons bottled roasted Piquillo peppers minced
1 teaspoon bottled pickled Jalapeños minced
pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Make the sauce: add the first seven ingredients to a small food processor, blender, or Magic Bullet, and puree until smooth. Set aside for up to 4 hours at room temperature.

2. Make the relish: mix and mash the Piquillo and Jalapeño together along with a tiny pinch of salt.

3. Cook the scallops: salt and pepper the scallops and sear them on a lightly oiled, very hot cast-iron skillet. Two minutes per side. Don’t move them until you flip them. Remove from the heat and plate.

4. Plate: place 1 tablespoon of sauce on a small plate, spread it, and place 3 scallops atop the sauce on each plate. Top each scallop with a small amount of sauce and a ¼ teaspoon of mashed Piquillo-Jalapeño relish.

5. Garnish with snipped curly parsley and serve with crusty bread for sopping up the delicious sauce.

Wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Verdejo, or Chablis would all work with this rich, tangy dish.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/warm-seafood-salad-pistachio-and-capers

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Cured Salmon Gravlax →

February 01, 2021 by FoodBlogChef in Starters

If you love salmon here’s a recipe for an elegant first course or to serve as hors d’oeuvre. Originally a traditional Nordic dish, gravad lax, referred to fish that had been buried in the ground to cure. Over time the method was refined from the funky fermented gravad lax to a process using salt, sugar, fresh herbs, and a neutral spirit like Vodka to season and cure the fish producing the delicately flavored salmon that is served at a premium price in fine restaurants across Europe today. The method of making today’s gravlax is surprisingly easy; it just requires a bit of patience. As they say “patience is a virtue” and you will be rewarded. Cheers! Skål!

Cured Salmon Gravlax with Fennel-Orange Crema
Yield: 2 servings as a main course, 8 to 10 as an hors d’oeuvre

For the Gravlax:

• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 ¾ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest (can substitute lemon zest)
• 1 one-pound, skin-on salmon fillet
• ½ cup chopped fennel fronds, more for serving (can substitute dill)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 4 teaspoons Vodka or another neutral spirit (Gin, Aquavit, etc.)

For the Fennel-Orange Crema:

½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream
½ garlic clove (finely minced or grated and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt)
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (start with 1 teaspoon, mix, taste, adjust to taste)
Pinch of salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds, more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
¾ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, more for serving
Slices of cocktail pumpernickel, for serving
Fresh lemon juice, for serving

Preparation:

1. To make the cured salmon: using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, lightly crush the peppercorns. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the sugar, salt, and orange zest. Rub mixture over salmon flesh; press the fennel fronds and tarragon all over flesh and sprinkle with the spirit. Put the seasoned salmon in a zip-lock plastic bag with the air squeezed out, or wrap well with plastic wrap and place in a skillet or on a sheet pan. Place a plate or other skillet atop the salmon packet and weight-down with something like a 48 ounce can of tomatoes or heavy skillet. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days. Turn the fish after 12 hours and taste after 24 hours. A moderate cure is achieved after about 36 hours..

2. To make the fennel-orange crema: using a mortar and pestle or the side of a knife, or a microplane mash the garlic with a pinch of salt until it forms a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the crème fraiche or sour cream, 1 tablespoon of fennel fronds, tarragon, orange zest, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir to combine.

3. To serve: wipe off most of the marinade from the salmon and slice off the skin. Thinly slice the fish across the grain at an acute angle. Spread the fennel-orange crema mixture on slices of pumpernickel, pile the sliced salmon on the pumpernickel, and sprinkle with salt, more black pepper, and a little lemon juice. Top with fennel fronds and diced Pickled Avocado.

Aadapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014171-small-batch-gravlax-with-fennel-orange-butter
https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/article/deli-salmon-explained

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