Sautéed Scallops With Asparagus Purée Recipes

Steps:

• Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (make it as salty as seawater). Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard; then submerge asparagus in the boiling water. Cover with lid just until the water comes back to a boil, then uncover and cook until al dente (tender but with just a little crunch), 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water.
• Asparagus are done when they bend without snapping. Use a spider strainer to transfer them to the ice bath; submerge and stir to immediately stop the cooking. Reserve cooking water (to thin purée). Cut asparagus tips and reserve for garnish. Cut stalks into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Place asparagus stalks in the blender and cover with lid; pulse a few times. Remove the smaller cap in the lid and turn blender to medium speed. Ladle in a slow stream of cooking water (about ½ cup) to help the asparagus purée. Use caution, as the water and purée are hot! Replace the cap, then purée on high speed. When the purée is smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any fibrous strands. Salt the purée to taste and set aside.
• Scallops: Place scallops on paper towels in an even layer and pat dry; this is an important step to get a nice sear. Pull off and discard any tough side-muscles (their fibers run against the grain of the rest of the scallop). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add oil. (Add more as needed to coat the bottom of the skillet.) When the oil begins to ripple, add scallops in an even layer without crowding. Let cook undisturbed, 60-90 seconds. Scallops are ready to flip when they are evenly caramelized and no longer stick to the skillet. Before flipping, sprinkle with sea salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the asparagus purée.
• When scallops are golden brown on the first side, they should release easily from the skillet. Using a small offset spatula, flip each scallop to sear the second side; continue sautéing, 30-45 more seconds, depending on size. Remove scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest while finishing the sauce.
• Add half of the asparagus tips to the warmed purée. Add butter, then swirl the saucepan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the purée to make a rich sauce.
• Immediately before serving, add the lemon juice to the asparagus sauce and stir to combine; taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among plates or large bowls, then place the scallops on the sauce. Garnish with remaining asparagus tips and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Trim asparagus, then cut stems into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices, leaving tips whole.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté asparagus, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving skillet off heat (do not clean).
• Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of scallops, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer scallops with tongs to another plate as cooked.
• Wipe out skillet with paper towels, then add remaining tablespoon oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté remaining scallops, turning over once, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total, transferring to plate. (Do not wipe out skillet after second batch.)
• Carefully add wine and vinegar to skillet (mixture may spatter) and boil, scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 1 minute. Add any scallop juices accumulated on plate and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
• Add asparagus and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Serve scallops topped with asparagus and sauce.

Steps:

• Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add to it 3 tablespoons of the butter. When it has melted and started to foam, place the scallops in the pan in a single layer, and season with a pinch or two of salt.
• Cook scallops without moving until the bottoms are golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then turn them over, add the wine and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic and whole sprigs of rosemary to the saucepan. Add scallops, cook for 2 minutes on each side (or until desired consistency). Remove the garlic and rosemary from pan. Serve.

Steps:

• Marinate the halibut:
• In a large bowl or baking dish, whisk together the oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the halibut and stir to coat it in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, in the refrigerator, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Make the pea purée:
• In a blender or food processor, blend together the peas, spinach, and lemon juice, stopping and scraping down the sides occasionally, and blending until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Make the asparagus and risotto:
• Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and boil, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, then immediately plunge the spears into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain the asparagus again and pat dry.
• In a medium saucepan sauté pan over moderately high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the asparagus and toss it in the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the chicken stock. Keep the stock hot on the stove.
• In a second medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the rice and sauté, stirring constantly, until just toasted. Add 1 cup of hot stock and simmer, stirring frequently, until the stock is almost absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add more stock, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next and stirring often, until the rice is tender and the mixture creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, chives, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Finish the halibut:
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Remove the halibut from the marinade and pat dry, then roll each fillet in a piece of caul fat. In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the olive oil. Sear the halibut on all sides, then finish in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
• To serve:
• Divide the risotto among 4 plates. Top with asparagus and halibut, and drizzle with pea purée.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, cumin, and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic; saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add scallops; cook and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Steps:

• Snap off the tough stem ends from the asparagus spears.
• Cut the tips, each about 2 inches long, off 4 spears.
• Set the tips aside.
• Chop the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces.
• Bring a large pot two-thirds full of generously salted water to a boil over high heat.
• Add the chopped asparagus and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon or long-handled strainer, transfer the asparagus to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
• When the asparagus is cool, drain and set aside.
• In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs of the butter.
• When the butter is just hot, add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the chopped asparagus and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cream and stock.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Pass the soup through a chinois into a clean saucepan and keep warm over very low heat.
• Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• In a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 Tbs butter.
• When it is nearly smoking, add the scallops and cook until evenly browned and slightly translucent in the center, about 2 minutes per side.
• Divide the scallops among 2 warmed soup bowls.
• Add the reserved asparagus tips to the sauté pan and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
• Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into the bowls, garnish with the asparagus tips and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan. Once sizzling, add the mushrooms and fry for just a min or two before adding the spinach. Cook on a high heat for about 1 min, allowing the leaves to wilt and soften. Drain the leaves and mushrooms in a sieve or small colander set over a bowl, pressing them gently in the sieve to release the juices (the juices will provide the base for the sauce, so don't discard them). Keep warm to one side.
• Heat the oil in a separate clean frying pan. When very hot, add the scallops. Sauté for a couple of mins without disturbing them at all, then add a knob of butter to the pan. Turn the scallops, season with salt and pepper, then baste with the sizzling butter. Continue to cook for a further couple of mins until the scallops are ready.
• While sautéing the scallops, return the saved spinach juices to the pan the spinach and mushrooms were cooked in, then whisk in the remaining knob of butter to create the sauce. Season with salt and pepper and a grating of nutmeg.
• Now finish in style: Arrange spinach and mushrooms on plates or in bowls, sit the scallops on top, then spoon the nutmeg spinach sauce around.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place the asparagus, carrot, onions and stock in a small pan.
• Season to taste with cracked pepper and bring to a boil.
• Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the tomatoes and keep warm.
• Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar and set aside.
• Heat a frying pan with an ovenproof handle and add the oil.
• Season scallops on both sides with pepper and sear in hot pan for 1 minute.
• Add the sugared vinegar, rotate pan to distribute the liquid, and place in the oven for 2 minutes.
• Turn the scallops over, then remove them from the pan.
• Place the vegetables in the center of 4 warm plates, allowing the stock to spread out.
• Surround with 6 scallops and serve the dressing on the side.
• To make the dressing: Heat the chicken stock and boil the artichoke in it for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place in a blender and puree, gradually adding the oil and lemon juice.