You really cannot go wrong with a good scallop in the summer! I try to cook them once a week if I can, and they never disappoint. There is something about the sweet caramelized crust, and the soft meaty interior that is just such a treat. These are diver scallops. Apparently a little bloke has actually dived down and grabbed them. Does it make a taste difference? In my opinion these were some of the best scallops. Sweet, succulent, and very clean tasting. So I would have to say yes. Does it justify the price difference? As romantic as the idea is of someone diving down and plucking a lovely scallop shell from the ocean, I am afraid I have to say not really. Sure they tasted fabulous, but the price difference between these and regular scallops can be pretty extreme.
As any reader of this blog will know by now, my current favorite veg is fennel. I love the stuff. Grilled, chopped up raw in salads, boiled, it all works for me. In this dish some fennel slices are boiled until almost tender, and then dumped into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The BBQ is fired up, and allowed to get pretty darn hot. The fennel is tossed in some olive oil, and chucked onto the grill. I tend to grill a little more than needed, for some reason a few of the slices always manage to evade my tongs, and end up falling to a firy doom. A red chili has its core removed, and is also chucked on the grill. I find grilling the chili for a bit tends to knock the spice down, and generally mellow out it’s flavor.
The kale is steamed in some butter and white wine, until tender. This is arranged on the plate with some of the fennel, and slices of chili. Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice, and we actually have a great little vegetable dish!
And on to the scallops. When I am in the mood to be tarty I like to cut a crosshatch into the top of the scallops. This opens up nicely when cooked, and well, it looks pretty. The secret to good scallops is to buy the freshest possible, and to use a hot pan. So, get the pan nice and hot, and add some oil. Cooking time depends on the size of your scallops, but you aren’t going to need more than a couple of minutes per side.
And whilst I am talking about pans. I have been through a lot of non-stick pans in the past. In the end the teflon coating starts coming off, and the pan goes in the bin. Not good for you health (eating bits of teflon), or the wallet. A year ago now I ended up buying a Swiss Diamond non-stick pan. Diamonds are actually infused into the cooking surface making it rock hard (obviously..). What does this mean? Well, if you are careful you can use metal tools in the pan (don’t cut in it though!), which is great because I hate plastic spatulas. The non-stick properties are also amazing. It can be heated to higher temperatures without loosing its non-stick properties, and well, nothing sticks at all. Well worth the extra cash. I have used it tons, and it is still in great condition.
The other option is something like a Calphalon One infused anodized pan. I got one of these a while back too. They are great for searing meats and some fish, and work great for scallops. They certainly aren’t non stick, but you don’t really want that for a good sear. Some sticking is required to get that great crust. I wouldn’t want to cook an egg in this pan, but for a great golden crust, without using gallons of oil, these pans are great. It is also the number pan to roast a chicken in. They are solid and heavy, and conduct heat well.
So, anyhow. Scallops with grilled fennel, kale and chili. The veggies worked great together, and were a fantastic base for the fresh scallops. The chili gave just enough of a bite to liven things up, but the grilling knocked it back far enough so that the spice wasn’t overwhelming.
