scallops, veggies, and greens....

[mike_c]

Went to Costco yesterday and bought a big pack of very nice sea scallops. Here's how I cooked the first batch (proportions and most cooking times are approximate):

2 shallots, sliced
1 shitake mushroom, sliced thin
1 tsp Spanish capers
1/2 roasted red pepper (blacken over a gas flame, cool, then peel, seed, and slice into match sticks)
10 or so tiny baby carrots
a handful of French, ...er, freedom green beans
2 cups of chopped red chard
one serving of scallops (I live alone, so I cooked seven for myself)
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine (I used a Chardonnay)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp best quality fish sauce (nuoc mam)
a small bit of butter
seasonings as preferred (salt, pepper, and chopped Italian parsley)

a little olive oil and some bacon grease


For the sauce:

6 Thai birds eye chilis, sliced as thin as possible
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp best quality fish sauce (nuoc mam)

Combine the sliced chilis, vinegar, and fish sauce. Set aside. I usually make this a day or so in advance-- it keeps for several days in the refrigerator and just gets better.

Saute the sliced shallots, mushrooms, and capers in a very little olive oil in a nonreactive skillet for a few minutes. Add the carrots and saute for a few minutes more, until a few brown marks begin to appear on the carrots. Add the green beans and saute for one or two minutes more. Add the sliced roasted peppers, the chicken stock and the fish sauce. Season with some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover. Reduce the liquid to three or four tablespoons-- watch it carefully and don't let it burn-- it will be dark and fragrant. Add the wine, balsamic vinegar, and chard. Simmer and reduce until the chard is cooked and there are a few Tbsp of liquid in the pan along with the veggies. Add additional liquid if necessary while the chard is cooking.

Meanwhile, season the scallops with some salt and pepper, then saute in very hot fat for about three minutes per side. They should brown nicely on the fried surfaces. Transfer the cooked scallops to a plate. Scoop out the veggies and greens from the braising pan and put them on the plate, leaving a few Tbsp of pan liquid in the skillet. Bring back to a brief boil and stir in the piece of butter. Toss in some chopped parsley. Pour this vinegrette over the scallops.

Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of the chili-vinegar sauce over the vegetables. Pour some of the Chardonnay into a glass. You know what to do next. Bon appetit.

Adjust the quantities according to the number of diners. If you can't find French green beans, add the beans a little later to avoid making them too limp. French green beans have a little tooth even after cooking for 15-20 minutes.

I made a variation on this recipe tonight with a six ounce piece of salmon fillet instead of scallops, but with more green beans and no chard. Very yummy!

[Stinky The Clown]

1. That sounds really nice

I like the use of the nuoc mam. I never would have thought to use that.

Very creative fusion recipe, indeed!

[mike_c]

2. I'm using it more and more in braising liquids like this....

It adds a subtle depth of flavor. It's the analog of adding anchovy paste to marinara sauce-- not directly identifiable, but it adds an important dimension.