I’ve put together a simple scallop dish with charred peppers and a smoked paprika beurre blanc. This is a great appetizer and you’ll be able to impress your guests with your fancy scallop cookery!
There are a few things to keep in mind when working with scallops,
-Buy fresh scallops if you can (I prefer 10/20 cnts)
-If you cannot buy fresh let them thaw in the fridge, DO NOT place them in water.
-Before you cook your scallops, dry them well between two paper towels.
-Get your pan HOT! The oil in your pan should just begin to smoke before adding in the mollusks.
-Keep an eye on cooking time. Usually I’d recommend 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. If you have an instant read thermometer, probe away, remove the scallops from the pan when they have an internal temperature of 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit.
-Place them onto a wire rack to rest (for 1 minute) and season with salt just before serving.
Scallops and Chardonnay are great together! Their textures match nicely, and the scallop’s sweetness/briny minerality is great with cool climate Chardonnays, particularly wines with good acidity and similar mineral notes.
Seared scallops with charred peppers and a smoke paprika beurre blanc
Serves 6
18 scallops, 10/20 cnt
1 Shallots, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 cup white wine
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
½ cup cold butter, cut into 1cm cubes
1 tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. ground cumin
12 mild chili peppers of choice, seasoned with salt, grilled or broiled
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
For the beurre blanc
Place a small pot over medium heat; add 1 tsp. of olive oil.
When hot, add in garlic and shallots, cook for 3 minutes or until translucent.
Next, add in wine, vinegar, honey and bay leaf.
Turn heat to high and boil until reduced to roughly 3 tbsp.
Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pot, then place over medium low heat.
Add smoked paprika and cumin.
Slowly whisk in 2-3 cubes of butter at a time. Be sure to allow each addition of butter to fully incorporate before adding more cubes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cover with a lid and reserve warm.
For the scallops
Dry your scallops between paper towels, removing as much surface moisture as possible.
Begin to heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add enough oil to create a depth of 2mm.
Just before the oil begins to smoke add in the scallops. Cook on both sides for 1 minutes per side.
When cooked place on a wire rack to rest.
Season with salt before serving.
To finish the dish, place the scallops and grilled peppers on a warm serving platter or individual plates. Top with the beurre blanc and chopped cilantro.
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