Champagne Poached Scallops With Red Pepper Pesto Recipes

POACHED ACHIOTE SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Saute the onions with the salt until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and achiote paste and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to avoid scorching. Add the tomato paste and pour in the fish stock or clam juice and boil 5 minutes longer. Stir in the pepper and vinegar and remove from the heat.
• Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree. Pass through a strainer. The sauce keeps up to 4 days
• To finish, pour the sauce into a large skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the scallops or shrimp, reduce the heat to medium and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over a bed of white rice and garnish with the capers.

MOP-IT-UP PASTA SALAD MUSHROOMS, PEPPERS AND ONIONS PASTA SALAD WITH RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta.
• Combine roasted peppers, garlic, pine nuts, parsley, salt and pepper and cheese in a food processor. Turn the processor on and stream in the extra-virgin olive oil to form a thick, pasty sauce forms. Adjust seasoning and transfer sauce to a large bowl.
• Add salt to boiling water and cook pasta to al dente, drain and cool under running cold water. Drain well a second time. Add cooked, cooled pasta to the pesto sauce. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to coat salad evenly. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste and serve or chill up to 48 hours.

LORI'S SEA SCALLOPS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER PESTO

Steps:

• For pesto:.
• Place Red pepper on foil in oven under broiler to roast. Turn over every 2-3 minutes until outer skin in blackened all around. Place in a small paper bag or wrap in foil to sweat for about 10 minutes. Skin will separate from pepper and peel off easily. Remove skin, seeds and stem from pepper and cut into medium pieces. This may be done ahead of time.
• Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
• Place pine nuts in a pie or cake pan and roast until light brown. Check every 2-3 minutes and shake pan to stir. Cool slightly, then put pine nuts in food processor, grind until coarse, add Garlic, Kosher salt, Lemon juice and red pepper. Blend well, then add the Olive oil, continue to blend. Add the Parmesan and mix until just blended. Set aside.
• For Scallops:.
• Rinse scallops and dry well- salt lightly with Kosher salt on both sides.
• Melt/heat butter and olive oil over medium high heat in medium pan.
• place scallops in pan and sear just until browned on both sides. Will not be cooked through yet.
• Remove from pan. Add wine to pan, stir to loosen brown bits and reduce sauce by approximately 1/2.
• Place scallops into a medium shallow baking dish. pour wine reduction over scallops, place a spoonful of pesto on top of each scallop. If have extra left keep adding over scallops. Sprinkle top with remainder of Parmesan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes (depending on size of scallops) until pesto is bubbly and lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and serve.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH GUACAMOLE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan, over moderate-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Using a fork, coarsely mash avocado with lime and garlic. Stir in onion, cilantro and hot red pepper sauce to blend. Season with salt, to taste. Cut crust off toasted bread and cut into 4 triangles. Spoon 1 tablespoon of guacamole on top of each toast triangle. Place scallop on top of guacamole.

LAVENDER HONEY SCENTED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In small saucepan, over high heat, add 2 cups grapeseed oil and bring to 350 degrees F.
• Carefully drop the leeks into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove them from oil to paper towels to dry and set aside until plating.
• In a separate saucepan over low heat, blend the honey, lavender, sugar and lemon juice. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, being careful not scorch.
• In a large saute pan over high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil and heat to the verge of smoking. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper, and add them to the grapeseed oil, in batches if necessary. Cook until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Arrange the leeks on a serving platter and top with the scallops. Drizzle with lavender honey and serve.