Speaking with Scallops

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a meal is worth exponentially more.

Whenever I want to thank someone or let them know I care it usually comes out in cookies. When I wanted to thank my friend and his roommates for letting me stay with them for two weeks out in California however, I knew I had to go above and beyond.

Here’s the menu from our lovely little dinner:

1^st Course

Gazpacho

2^nd Course

Parmesan Encrusted Scallops with a Shallot-Lemon Beurre Blanc

served with Risotto with Leeks and Shiitake Mushrooms and Roasted Asparagus

3^rd Course

Red Wine Poached Pear with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Raspberry Coulis

My vision for this dinner was spurred on by a story of a delicious pear dessert that my friend once had in Grenada. With my mouth watering at his description, I spliced a few recipes together to form our 3^rd course. The poached pear recipe is my new favorite and I plan on possibly adapting it for the peaches that tantalize me every time I go to the farmers market.

The recipes for all these wonderful dishes are below. Happy cooking!

Gazpacho

1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded

4 plum tomatoes

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup good olive oil

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Parmesan Encrusted Scallops

Scallops

Flour

Egg

Panko

Grated parmesan

Oil

Dry scallops and dust them with flour. Brush them with an egg wash. Mix the panko and the grated parmesan and coat the scallops. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat and sear scallops.

Lemon-Shallot Beurre Blanc Sauce

1 to 2 shallots, chopped fine

16 tablespoons white wine

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon heavy cream

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Salt and white pepper, to taste

Combine the shallots, white wine, and lemon juice in a non-reactive saucepan over high heat and reduce to 2 tablespoons.

Add the cream to the reduction. Once the liquid bubbles, reduce the heat to low. Add the butter, one cube at a time, whisking first on the heat and then off the heat. Continue whisking butter into the reduction until the mixture is fully emulsified and has reached a rich sauce consistency. Season with salt and white pepper. Store beurre blanc in a thermos until ready to serve.

Risotto with Leeks and Shitake Mushrooms

Leeks:

2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)

3/4 cup whipping cream

Mushrooms:

1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices

½ large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 tablespoon white truffle oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Risotto:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided

½ large onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)

Chopped fresh parsley

For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. (less time) DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Roasted Asparagus

24 large asparagus spears (about 2 pounds), trimmed and peeled

Extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Aged balsamic vinegar

Parmesan, for shaving

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange asparagus spears in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil over asparagus and turn to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, 18-20 minutes.

Transfer asparagus to a platter. To serve, drizzle vinegar over hot asparagus and use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan over the spears.

Poached Pears with Cinnamon Ice Cream and Raspberry Coulis

4 Bartlett pears, firm and almost ripe

2 cups dry white wine (Riesling or Pinot Grigio) + water to cover the pears

¼ cup sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

1 cinnamon stick (more for garnish)

2 whole cloves (optional)

1-2 star anise (optional)

1 2-inch piece of lemon zest

1 pint cinnamon, caramel, or vanilla ice cream

Ground cinnamon (for garnish)

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 tsp powdered sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

Peel pears, but leave the stems intact. Place in cold water or rub with a lemon to keep from discoloring. Cut the pears in half (with one half equaling 2/3rds of the pear) and scoop out pits/center with a spoon or melon baller. Cut a slice off the bottom to allow the pear to stand.

In a large saucepan combine the wine, water, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and lemon zest. Dissolve sugar, reduce heat, and add the pears. Cover and heat until a knife slips in easily, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the pears and place in the refrigerator. Remove the vanilla bean, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and lemon zest. Reduce the remaining liquid to about 1 cup, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Combine the raspberries, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until pureed. Pass through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to extract all the juice.

Plate each slightly chilled pear and scoop ice cream into the prepared bowl. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with raspberry coulis and reduced syrup. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.