Scallops are one of my favorite foods.
They are sweet and tender and, because they are quite rich, three on a plate makes a very nice portion.
After making this recipe, though, I had to rethink that portion size. Would nine be too many? Probably. But maybe not.
Susan and Towny were here this past weekend - the authors of Provence WineZine came to Arizona! We ate well and did lots of wine tasting. We had a nice chance to catch up in person, too, something electronic media just can’t replace.
The wine Susan had brought for this meal got ruined in transit, so we found two others to try in its place. You can read about it on the Provence WineZine.
In the meantime, if you are a fan of scallops, you should definitely try this sunny and beautiful creation from the one-star Michelin restaurant Une Table au Sud, found in Daniel Young’s Made in Marseille. If you close your eyes, you might think you are actually in Marseille.
~ David
Coquilles Saint-Jacques au Sel d’Orange, Endive Caramelisée
(Seared Scallops with Orange Salt with Caramelized Endives)
Adapted from the recipe by Lionel Lévy
2 oranges, preferably organic
fine sea salt
sugar
4 large endives
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
sugar
salt
freshly ground black or white pepper
12 dry sea scallops, preferably diver scallops
The day before, or longer if your humidity is a bit high, finely grate the zest off the oranges and spread on a sheet of waxed paper to dry. Reserve the oranges. After the zest is dry, measure the amount and add a 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt for every 1 teaspoon dried zest. Mix it well and set aside. (Note: the salt loses a lot of flavor with time - don't make more than 1 day in advance!)
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Add the whole endives and reduce the heat; simmer the endives for 45 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Heat two tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice the endives in half lengthwise, and sprinkle the cut sides with salt, pepper, and sugar. Place them cut side down in the melted butter and allow them to cook for 15-20 minutes until nicely caramelized.
While the endives are braising, squeeze the juice from the reserved oranges, and strain into a small saucepan. Over medium heat, cook the juice until it has reduced to about 3 tablespoons; it should be thick. Set aside.
Pat scallops dry and remove tough muscle. Lightly salt and liberally pepper the scallops on both sides. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Sear the scallops until golden on the first side then flip and cook another minute or two on the second side. While they are cooking, reheat the endives and bring the orange syrup to a simmer. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter to the orange syrup a bit at a time, whisking to emulsify and create an orange beurre blanc.
Place some of the beurre blanc in the center of 4 plates, and top with three scallops per plate. Drizzle remaining beurre blanc over the scallops and sprinkle well with the orange salt. I added extra salt around the edge of the plate - perfect for dipping. Divide the endives between 4 side plates. Serve.
Serves 4. Labels: Daniel Young, Lionel Lévy, Made in Marseille, orange beurre blanc, orange salt, Provence, scallops
