Seared Scallops With Watermelon Three Ways Castelfranco Radicchio Dandelion Greens And Red Onions Recipes

SEA SCALLOP SALAD WITH MEYER LEMON AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette: Put lemon and shallot in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add vinegar, and stir to dissolve salt. Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil. Taste and correct for salt and vinegar. Set aside at room temperature.
• Season sea scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Place a wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, and swirl to coat bottom of pan. When oil looks wavy, place scallops carefully in pan without crowding. Adjust heat to allow scallops to sizzle briskly. Do not move scallops for at least 2 minutes so that a crisp skin can form.
• After 2 minutes, check to see how scallops are browning. Adjust heat if necessary (if heat is too high, scallops will blacken instead). It should take 4 to 5 minutes to get a well-browned surface. Turn scallops over with tongs or a small metal spatula, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until firm and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel, keeping scallops browned-side up.
• Divide radicchio, endive and arugula among 4 large salad plates. Place 2 warm scallops in the center of each plate. Stir vinaigrette vigorously and spoon about a teaspoon on each scallop. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette evenly over each salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, and serve immediately.

GRILLED OYSTERS THREE WAYS

Steps:

• For the mignonette: Stir together the red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, shallots and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the bourbon BBQ sauce: Stir together the barbecue sauce and bourbon in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the scampi butter: Mash to combine the butter, white wine, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Side aside.
• For the oysters: Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Add the coarse sea salt in mounds to a large 9-by-13-inch aluminum roasting pan.
• Cooking in batches if necessary, put the oysters with their cupped side down in the roasting pan, nestling them in the salt so the flat side is facing up and they do not tip. Put the roasting pan on the hottest part of the grill and close the lid. Cook until the shells open slightly (wide enough to slide a knife in), 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the oysters.
• Carefully remove the roasting pan from the grill. Insert the tip of an oyster knife or small sharp paring knife in the shell opening and run the knife along the inside of the top shell to release the oyster; remove the top shell. Run the knife under the oyster meat in the bottom shell to release the oyster, keeping the oyster and juices in the shell. Repeat with the remaining oysters, placing 12 of them on a platter and the remainder back in the pan. Serve the oysters on the platter immediately with the mignonette, or refrigerate until ready to serve. (See Cook's Note.)
• Spoon the bourbon BBQ sauce over 12 of the remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each). Top each with some of the bacon and chives.
• Put a dollop of the scampi butter over the 12 remaining oysters in the roasting pan (about 1 teaspoon each).
• Return the roasting pan to the grill, close the lid and cook until the oyster fillings are just starting to bubble, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill and transfer to a serving platter.
• Sprinkle the scampi butter oysters with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and serve immediately.