Sunday, October 12, 2008
Food, Recipes
Worth the dive
Seared diver scallops with brown butter and arugula
Photos/Melissa Libby & Associates
By Todd Annis
I have always had a passion for cooking with seafood. In 2001, when I was an emerging chef on the Atlanta culinary scene, I was invited to the prestigious Taste of the Nation event for the first time. At the event, that love of cooking seafood helped win me the bronze medal for the seafood challenge, and I never looked back.
As executive chef of Bold American catering and special events company, I’m mindful of including items on the menu that are adaptable enough not only to stand alone as hors d’oeuvres, but to also work well for plated dinners, as a buffet item, or at a chef-attended station. One of the most versatile seafood items happens to be one of my favorites to cook as well as eat: scallops, which are easy and quick to cook and make for a great dish that can be whipped out quickly. They can also be an exciting addition to any menu that craves lighter fare to balance out heavier entrées.
Scallops can be adapted to most any occasion, taste or cooking ability and can be especially easy to pair with fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. For this recipe, I have chosen to pair the scallops with arugula and dried apricots with brown butter sauce to give the dish a fall feel.
This pairing has become one of my favorite dishes to cook for my family during the holidays. The sauce has a nice nutty flavor that doesn’t drown the delicate nuance of the diver scallops, and the arugula gives the dish a warm, peppery flavor. I included the dried apricots for a little bit of sweetness. The dish is also amazing with fresh peaches in the summertime, when they are at the peak of freshness.
To round out the flavor of the brown butter sauce and the sweetness of the apricots, this dish is best paired with the sharp and aggressive nature of a sauvignon blanc, which is often tangy or zesty. However, most semi-dry white wines give a good balance.
Something I like to keep in mind when purchasing items for my meals is to use fresh, sustainable ingredients. Here in Georgia, we are fortunate to have a number of farmer’s markets, CSAs and markets, such as Whole Foods Market, that are as concernedwith the environment as they with the bottom line. For scallops, it is most ecologically friendly to buy diver, since they are handpicked and are typically more mature. This allows the younger ones to develop and allows the population to replenish. If possible, select dry-packed over wet-packed, as the phosphate solution used to whiten the wet-packed is the same solution used in several soap and detergent solutions and gives the scallops a soapy taste.
This fall, for a recipe that tastes as good as it looks, don’t be afraid to step out of the comfort zone of chicken or beef. This combination of peppery yet sweet scallops with a brown butter sauce will be a family favorite in no time. Paired with the right wine and best ingredients, this easy recipe can make even the least experienced at-home chef look like a culinary rock star. SP
Todd Annis is the executive chef for Bold American, Fifth Group Restaurants’ catering arm. www.boldamerican.com.
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BALSAMIC BROWN BUTTER AND ARUGULA
Serves 10
Ingredients:
- 10-20 diver scallops
- 8 ounces butter
- 4 ounces balsamic vinegar
- 1 pound arugula
- 1 cup dried sliced apricots
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions:
Place butter in a sauce pan, and cook over high heat until butter starts to brown. Turn off heat, and let butter cool for five minutes. Add the balsamic to the butter slowly. Reserve sauce for later. Slat and pepper both sides of the scallops. Add oil and the scallops to a hot sauté pan, and cook until golden brown (about two minutes on each side). Mix the dried apricots and the arugula; add a touch of the oil and salt. Lightly toss, and place on the plate. Place scallops on plate, and drizzle the warm balsamic brown butter over the scallops and the greens. Serve.