Seared Scallops with Raspberry-Pinot Gris Reduction Sauce and Spring Greens This is a pretty valentine appetizer or main course. You can substitute halibut and blackberries for the scallops and raspberries.
Serves 4-6.
1 pound medium to large scallops (dry, unbrined scallops are preferred to obtain a carmelized edge)
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
Preheat oven to 400 deg
Season the Scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy ovenproof pan, such as cast iron or enameled Creuset, over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, allow to heat for a moment, and layer the scallops into the pan. After a minute, place the scallops in the oven to finish for about 5 minutes.
Ingredients for Sauce:
Shallots, 3 Tbl minced
¼ cup vinegar, suggest rice vinegar, raspberry vinegar, or white wine vinegar
¼ cup Coleman Pinot Gris
1½ cups raspberries, fresh preferred
2 Tbls Frangelica (if you like hazelnut) or Cognac
1½ cups butter, unsalted preferred
Add the shallots, vinegar, and 1 cup of berries to a saucepan. Cook at medium high to high heat, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is reduced. There should be about 2 tablespoons of liquid remaining. At this point, you can strain the sauce through a small, fine sieve if you’d like to remove the seeds.
Add the Pinot Gris and continue to reduce until the mixture is reduced again to about 2 tablespoons. Be cautious that you don’t burn the sauce while it is reducing. Add the liquor and reduce to about 3 tablespoons. This reduction sauce is a version of Beurre Blanc sauce. To finish the sauce, turn the heat down to low, and add about 1½ tablespoons of butter into the sauce, whisking quickly. Continue whisking about 1½ tablespoons at a time until all of the butter is melted. The sauce cannot be easily reheated or cooled without the sauce “breaking” or separating. If you have everything ready, serve the sauce immediately. If not, I recommend putting the sauce in a coffee thermos. This will keep it warm and minimize the separation. Save the remaining raspberries for garnish.
Ingredients for Salad:
The dressing should be mild so as not to compete with the sauce and the wine. Use a few drops of the same vinegar or a squeeze of lemon, along with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.
There are many mixed greens available at the market, but for this dish I like the milder spring greens such as Mache and Watercress.
To Present the Dish:
Use your creativity! I like to put a puddle of sauce off to the side of the plate. Put the dressed greens in the middle and towards the other side. Place the scallops on top of the greens, with one or two offset over the sauce. You can garnish the plate with the remaining raspberries.
You can also serve toasted baquettes (bruschetta) topped with goat cheese, thyme, and drizzled olive oil on the side.
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