Update and Redux: J – This dish takes me back to almost the beginning of Be Mindful. Be Human. Luke was doing lots of cooking. We were doing lots of learning … about pretty much everything. How to cut vegetables. How to sear fish. How to plate beautifully. A long list, which included the fact that a common garden weed was the new, hot garnish. Purslane is gourmet. This dish is delicious.
J — My turn!
I’ve been enjoying seeing Christina discover the pleasure of cooking with — well, watching — Luke for awhile now. He’s quite talented. She’s having fun.
Luke and I have cooked together, periodically and non-commercially, for a number of years.It’s always been fun and the food was always delightful. An informal, let’s-cook-something get-together, a large party or a small party. His place. My place. They were all fun. I learned a bunch.
This week, I had scallops. We went to the Farmer’s Market the day before. We explored and got some veggies. I was dying for lardons with scallops. Did I tell you that I LOVE bacon in any form?
This recipe is typical of our collaborations. It’s a great use for the abundance of late-summer vegetables and a little-known “weed” that has made its way into high-end cooking.
And, of course, who can go wrong with huge, dry scallops and the pepper-bacon lardons that are part of the mix.
Time to eat!
Fun, again! And, oh so tasty. Thanks Luke and Christina.
| Seared Scallops with Purslane and Succotash |
- 3 ears corn
- ½ basket cherry tomatoes
- 3 gypsy peppers, seeded
- 1 medium zucchini
- 15 pearl onions
- 12 baby carrots
- 5 leaves basil, chiffonade
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small shallot, minced
- ¼ lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Salt to taste
- 12 large, dry scallops
- 1 small bunch purslane
- ¼ lb pepper-bacon from slab, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
- Cut corn off cob
- Peel pearl onions
- Peel and trim baby carrots
- Medium-dice gypsy peppers and zucchini, separately
- Quarter tomatoes
- Blanch corn, onions and carrots, changing water after each ingredient
- Heat medium saute pan on medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. When hot, add zucchini and cook on medium-high until slightly browned. Remove to a large bowl.
- Saute gypsy peppers in same pan until soft. Add to bowl.
- Combine all ingredients in bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat small saute pan with ¼ cup water and shallot. Reduce until water is almost gone.
- Slowly whisk small amounts of unsalted butter into pan until emulsified.
- Salt to taste. Keep warm.
- Wash enough purslane for 4 small servings, about 2 cups
- Pat scallops dry and season lightly on one side only with salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Heat flat-top grill on high until hot. Add grapeseed oil. When it shimmers, add scallops with seasoned side down.
- Turn heat to medium-high and sear first side until browned, about 4 minutes
- Turn scallops and sear other side until they are medium-rare, about 3 more minutes. Remove from grill.
- Cook pepper-bacon cubes until crisp.
- Spoon bacon lardons onto purslane and stir in a little of the pan drippings. Mix well.
- Serve 3-scallops-each on top of mounded succotash. Dress with purslane-lardons mix.
- Drizzle small amount of butter sauce on each scallop.
- Enjoy.