Poached Scallops With Tarragon Vinaigrette Recipes

TARRAGON LOVER'S SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Place half of the scallops in the skillet without crowding; cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove scallops to a plate. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in the skillet, and cook remaining scallops. Remove to plate.
• Wipe out skillet, and return skillet to medium heat. Pour in wine, and boil 1 or 2 minutes, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter; just softening butter to form a smooth sauce. Stir in salt, lemon zest, and tarragon. Pour sauce over scallops.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BACON, TARRAGON AND LEMON

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp but not dry and drain on a piece of paper towel. Leave 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan (there probably won't be much more than that, but discard any extra if there is).
• Season the scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high, add the butter, and sear the scallops until brown and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the scallops to a plate and set aside.
• Remove pan from heat and add the vermouth and lemon juice. Now return the skillet to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the water.
• While the sauce reduces, slice the scallops in half vertically. Slip them into the reduced sauce with the tarragon, parsley, and bacon bits and give the skillet a swirl to bring everything together. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide the scallops with their sauce among small plates or Asian soup spoons and serve immediately.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TARRAGON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat the scallops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides, then sear the scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
• Add the shallot, wine, and vinegar to the skillet and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the juices from the platter and if necessary boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Reduce the heat to low and add 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until almost melted, then add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and swirl until incorporated and sauce has a creamy consistency. Stir in the tarragon and salt to taste; pour sauce over scallops.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TARRAGON CREAM

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add scallops and cook until brown on bottom, about 3minutes. Turn scallops over and cook until opaque in center, about 1 minute longer. Transfer scallops to plate. Tent with foil.
• Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter in same skillet. Add flour, stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until thick and smooth, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in tarragon and any juices from scallops on plate. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon onto plates. Arrange scallops, brown side up, atop sauce.

SEA SCALLOPS POACHED IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• For 1 1/2 pounds whole scallops. Simmer 1/2 tablespoon minced shallots for 3 minutes with 1/3 cup each of dry white French vermouth and water plus 1/2 teaspoon salt and a small imported bay leaf. Then add the scallops and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, just until lightly springy to the touch. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid at least 10 minutes, to pick up its flavor. Remove scallops, discard bay leaf, and rapidly boil down liquid until almost syrupy.
• serving suggestions: fines herbes
• Stir fresh minced parsley and/or dill, tarragon or chives into the reduced liquid, and briefly reheat scallops, folding in, if you wish, a few tablespoons of heavy cream.
• provençal-with tomatoes
• Stir 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped fresh tomatoes (see box, page 30) and 1 large clove of minced garlic into the reduced liquid. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, then uncover and boil down rapidly to thicken. Season. Fold in the scallops and reheat briefly. Fold in minced parsley or other green herbs and serve.
• Note
• Simmering times for quartered sea scallops and bay scallops, 15 to 30 seconds; for calicos, bring just to the simmer.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TARRAGON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (total).
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sear scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
• Add shallot, wine, and vinegar to skillet and boil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add juices from platter and if necessary boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to low and add 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until almost melted, then add remaining 3 tablespoons butter and swirl until incorporated and sauce has a creamy consistency. Stir in tarragon and salt to taste; pour sauce over scallops.