Seared Scallops with Wild Mushrooms and Tangerine Sauce →

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:

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

• 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:

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

• 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!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

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.

Seared Scallops with Lemony Pistachio Caper Sauce →

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.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

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

Cured Salmon Gravlax →

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