With this Valentine’s Day edition of the Recipe File, we are happy to launch what we hope will be a regular item on our News page: a recipe and wine pairing from Senior Sales Associate, Certified Sommelier and Executive Chef Jason Skelly.
Jason says, “Scallops and Pride Viognier are a Valentine’s Day tradition at my house. The complexity and depth of the wine complements the richness of the scallops beautifully. In this recipe, the balance of sweet and salty in the corn puree also brings out the lush stone fruit characteristics of the wine.”
(Serves 2)
1 cup corn kernels, preferably fresh
¼ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, roasted
2 scallions, white minced and greens cut into long thin ribbons
¼ cup pancetta, cubed
6 large dry scallops, foot removed
1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons canola oil
Sea salt to taste
Put green scallion ribbons into an ice water bath to curl for the garnish.
Crisp the pancetta in a sauce pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add the corn, cream, rosemary, garlic, minced scallions, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When slightly thickened, remove 50% of mixture from pan and pulse in a blender until not quite smooth. Return to sauce pan, stir into remaining mixture and keep warm.
Add remaining oil to a non-stick pan and heat over medium-high until oil shimmers. Place scallops in pan and sear without moving until golden brown. Flip scallops, turn off burner and allow remaining heat to cook the scallops through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove green onion curls from the ice bath and dry. Spoon corn purée onto the center of each plate, arrange scallops on top, sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with green onion curls. Accompany with chilled Viognier and enjoy!
----- Chef Jason Skelly
