Sunday, March 23, 2008
Food, Recipes
Under the sea
Scallop tagine with pickled lemon
CREDIT:Lauren Rubinstein/www.larphotography.com
Scallop tagine with pickled lemon
By Joshua Perkins
As a poissoner and triathlete, I have had a long-term relationship with seafood most of my adult life. It is the foundation of my diet and career. My love affair began at a young age when I went on a family vacation to the beach. The connection between the food and the sea—the cleanliness, freshness and the simplicity—stood out to me. To this day, all our family vacations end up on water and a vast amount of seafood is consumed in our household.
While I was in Italy, most of our seafood came each morning live on a small truck straight from the water. The vitality that goes into these dishes has always been special to me. As spring and summer approach, we find ourselves in the perfect season to compliment the flavors of the sea. The early harvest produce appears and pairs perfectly with fish and seafood. My style of cooking has always relied on the quality of the ingredients—finding the finest produce and seafood, manipulating little and letting the true essence of the dish speak for itself. I find it best that the dish come about from a sum of its parts, each brought together for the purpose of harmony, each ingredient building on the others just until each part sings, no more, no less. As with most things in life, this requires a modicum of restraint; unfortunately, it’s this restraint that I find most difficult for people. Knowing when to stop is key. Less is always more. Simple broths complement the dish and allow the freshness to come through. Lightly cooked garnishes add texture, while acid is needed to balance the sweetness that happens naturally when cooking seafood. Finding the simple harmony of these textures and flavors will allow something truly magnificent to appear. We find ourselves wanting to add one more ingredient, one more dash of this or that and in the end mask the true beauty of the dish. Finding the essence of simplicity is to know the water and its gifts. A raw oyster may not take a world of culinary knowledge to serve; how many times have they complemented a beautiful sunny day, friends gathered around a table, the sounds of the waves coming in to the shore, chilled glass of muscadet and the salt breeze filling our nostrils? Some of my best memories come from simple seafood, not from the endless courses served on starched tablecloths by even more starched waiters.
I love to play with the flavors of the Mediterranean, adding new subtle twists on the familiar. One such dish is our combination of scallops and tangine. Most people are familiar with these items, but we brought them together, loosened the sauce into a signature broth style and came up with this light spring pleaser. We use the freshest, plump scallops and cook them just until warm in the center, lightly sweat the ingredients and top with pale saffron broth. This dish, if only for one moment, can whisk you away to the shores of the Mediterranean. So grab your Persols and Gucci loafers, and enjoy. SP
Josh Perkins is executive chef at the Globe Restaurant. 75 5th St. NW. 404-541-1487. www.globeatlanta.com.
Scallop tagine with pickled lemon
Ingredients:
For the chermoula:
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ pint cold water
- 16 large scallops
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 1 green pepper
- 1 red pepper
- 1fennel bulb
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1quart fish fume (broth)
- 1 large spoonful of chermoula
- 3 ½ ounces prepared saffron
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
To serve:
- 15 green olives stoned (preferably Moroccan)
- 1 pickled lemon, cut into large strips
Prepare the charmoula first by mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl. Skin the tomatoes, and cut them in quarters. Heat a small amount of olive oil. Lightly sear scallops on each side do brown but leave center cold. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. Add julienne of pepper and fennel to pan, and lightly sweat. Add charmoula and tomatoes. Sauté 1minute longer. Add saffron and fish broth. Season to taste. Bring to a boil. Add scallops, and reduce to a light simmer poach scallops till warm in center (about 3 minutes depending on size). Remove scallops and place in serving dish. Divide vegetables equally around scallops. Cover with broth. Top with olives and lemon, and serve immediately.