Eric's Kitchen in NJ: Ginger Glazed Mahi & Scallops Risotto

For Mother's Day my Mom and Grandma had me make them both of these dishes as their 'gift'. I had actually never cooked Mahi Mahi before but knew my Mom loved it so I looked up some recipes, considering what she already had in the house and settled on this one. As for the risotto, my Mom was more specific, saying she wanted, seared scallops with mushrooms, and leeks.

Let's start with the Mahi Mahi.

Ingredients (served 4-5 but we had two dishes):
2 large Mahi Mahi fillets
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced (2 cloves)
1 tbsp ginger minced
2 tsp olive oil
Cracked black pepper

Mix everything but the fish in a bowl and then add the fish and let marinate for 20 minutes in the fridge. After that, heat some light olive oil (takes high heat better my Mom taught me) in a pan and then add the fish, skin down, without the marinade and let it brown until crispy before turning. I only turn anything once and after I turned it, I let the other side sear for a minute or so before adding the marinade and letting it cook and thicken until the fish was done. The recipe suggested cooking the fish first and the marinade separately probably to let the fish cook completely without rushing it or to properly thicken the sauce but I ignored or forgot this and it turned out great anyway. The sauce had an amazing flavor! Also check out Sasha's Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa.

On to the risotto!

Ingredients (served 5 and there was a ton left over):
2 lbs. of sea scallops
2 cups of dry arborio rice
8 cups of 'better than bullion' mushroom stock (I forget how many tsp of bullion this is)
1 leek, chopped
1/2 a bunch of scallions
1 package of baby bella mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
cracked pepper
1/2 cup white wine, we used a chardonnay
1 tbsp white truffle oil

Start by sauteing the veggies in olive oil & white truffle oil until soft while heating the broth and then add the rice and the wine and continue to stir until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Then add the hot mushroom broth and stir until the rice absorbs it, maybe 1/2 a cup to a cup at a time until the rice is soft. Definitely taste it as you will know when it's done. It took around 45 minutes but we had it on the wrong burner to start without enough heat or it may have been quicker. Also we had a cup or so of broth left over but considering how much risotto we had left over, we will probably use it when re-heating. Here are a few other risotto recipes on this blog.

In the meantime, sear your scallops with butter and some white wine to de-glaze the pan as the butter starts to darken and dry out. Keep from adding TOO much butter or wine as it will prevent the scallops from properly searing. Also don't crowd the scallops in the pan as this can also prevent them from browning. I love seared scallops and added a picture mainly because they looked nice...

It took about 4 rounds of searing the scallops while Jenn stirred the risotto until everything was done so we set aside the scallops until the end and then mixed it all together. Everything turned out very nicely and my Mom and Grandma were both very happy! Now if I can only get them to read my blog entries!

Here are some other seared scallop recipes:
Sasha's seared scallops with Papaya, blood orange vinegrette and carmelized shallots
Sasha's scallops with organic mushrooms, spicy coconut lemongrass-thyme broth and pomegranate seeds
My fettucine with scallops and mushroom cream sauce

Eric's Kitchen in NJ: Ginger Glazed Mahi & Scallops Risotto

Sasha's Kitchen: Food & Wine Pairing: Ad Hoc's Caramelized Scallops with Cakebread Cellars Reserve Chardonnay

I have very quickly become a fan of Thomas Keller's cookbook, Ad Hoc At Home.  My husband professes to dislike scallops.  Yet, every time I have made them lately, he seems to enjoy them.  My last two scallop recipes, scallops in a lemongrass coconut broth with mushrooms and scallops with a blood orange vinaigrette, were both my recipes, and were fairly complex in the ingredients that accompanied the scallops.  This time, however, I decided to prepare Thomas Keller's classic caramelized scallops and pair them with one of my favorite wines - Reserve Chardonnay from Cakebread Cellars.  This recipe is more challenging than it looks to get the scallops with the right caramelized texture, but it is also quite rewarding and showcases the quality of the ingredients used.

About a year and a half ago, my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting Cakebread Cellars and tasting many of their wines when we visited Napa Valley. Cakebread, of course, is well known as a legendary Napa winery that makes some of the best Chardonnay on the planet.  I paired the scallops with a bottle of Reserve Chardonnay that I received so kindly from Cakebread back in December that I have been saving for the perfect meal - and in my mind seafood and Chardonnay pair nicely together.  I feel that the Cakebread reserve Chardonnay is truly a special wine, and because it is my favorite Chardonnay of all time, it's sad to see the last drop all gone.  But surely it was enjoyed.  And this time, we have enough leftover for accompanying the next night's meal (saffron mushroom risotto, so stay tuned!)

I paired the Ad Hoc scallops (from one of Napa's many wonderful restaurants) with this smooth, well balanced Reserve Carneros Chardonnay for an all-California treat on the east coast.  This Chardonnay is a nicely oaked Chardonnay that has a smooth, balanced flavor.  There are hints of lemon, along with tropical flavors, pears and a bit of spice.  This wine is just the closest thing to perfection in a Chardonnay that I know and tastes lovely with seafood.  I think it would also pair nicely with my Asian/Pacific Rim Marinated Chilean Sea Bass with Papaya Salsa, given the tropical fruit undertones in the wine.  I love the way the oak in the wine (they age the wine in French oaks, as I recall) balances out with these tropical flavors and the pear aroma.

The scallops, simple but elegant, are quintessentially Keller -  showcase of fresh, ingredients prepared in an uncomplicated way that showcases the scallop, pure and simple, rather than blending its flavor with other complicated ingredients (which, in my opinion is often nice, as well).  Because of the simple elegancy of this meal, it paired so well with the Chardonnay because it allows the taster to focus on the flavors of the scallop and the wine.  Plus, I love just about anything caramelized, so a caramelized scallop is just genius in my eyes.

Ad Hoc's Caramelized Scallops  
2 cups Kosher salt (plus more to taste)
2 cups hot water
8 cups cold water
12 U7 sea scallops (or about 1 3/4 lbs of local fresh scallops)
2 T clarified butter
1/2 lemon

I will note that i used regular scallops rather than U7 scallops because they were a fresh catch at my local fishmonger.  They were good but they absorbed the salt a bit faster than the larger U7 scallops so it was just a tad saltier than I might have preferred, due to the brine.  Next time, I will purchase U7 scallops like Keller suggests, but cut the recipe in half if I am only making it for two people again.

First, combine the salt with the hot water to prepare a brine.  Stir to dissolve the salt.  Add the cold water next.  Add the scallops to the brine and let stand for 10 minutes (and only 10 minutes so the scallops do not become too salty).  I might have suggested five minutes if you are using smaller scallops than U7.

Heat the clarified butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until it begins to smoke.  Season the scallops lightly with salt (and if you are like me, a bit of pepper).  Add the scallops to the pan, making sure they do not touch each other.  Cook without moving the scallops until golden brown for about 3 and a half minutes on each side.  Serve them simply with a bit of lemon juice on each scallop.

Scallops

Sasha's Kitchen: Food & Wine Pairing: Ad Hoc's Caramelized Scallops with Cakebread Cellars Reserve Chardonnay

Sasha's Kitchen: Scallops With Papaya, Blood Orange Vinaigrette and Caramelized Shallots

Pan seared scallops are one of my favorite subjects for an appetizer.  I love the flavor of any pan seared scallop, whether it is prepared in butter, or in a healthier olive oil / canola oil.  In my opinion, scallops present nicely as an appetizer.  A couple days ago, I wrote about another scallop appetizer that I developed for pan seared scallops with organic mushrooms in a lemongrass-thyme coconut broth with pomegranate.  That recipe would also make an excellent scallop entree if it were scaled up a bit.


Last night, I created an easy citrus, sweet scallop appetizer that was just as satisfying to the palette using papaya and blood orange juice to accompany the scallops.  This recipe was very simple to prepare, and makes lovely eye candy as an appetizer for upcoming dinner parties.  The melange of flavors was perfect - it has a lovely sweetness to it, but not an overpowering or cloying sweetness.  I was really happy with the outcome.  Papaya and blood oranges are two of my favorite fruits, and I think both combined nicely with the pan seared scallop.  I even used blood orange olive oil, from Round Pond Estate in Napa Valley, to pan sear the scallops.  Feel free to double or triple the recipe, as this is perfect for parties and other gatherings.

Sasha's Pan Seared Scallops With Papaya, Caramelized Shallots and Blood Orange Vinaigrette
4-6 scallops
1 1/2 cups of blood orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil (plain)
several tablespoons of Round Pond's Blood Orange Olive Oil
pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced papaya
2 diced shallots
A couple teaspoons of pomegranate seeds


First, I prepared the blood orange vinaigrette by reducing the orange juice.  Add the blood orange juice to the stove and boil for about 25 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 a cup.  Mix the blood orange juice with about 1/3 a cup of canola oil or olive oil an season with pepper.  Put in a salad shaker and shake the dressing well.


To prepare the shallots, caramelize by sautéing two diced shallots in 1 tablespoon of Round Pond's Blood Orange Olive Oil and one teaspoon of sugar.  Dice the papaya and set aside.


Pan sear the scallops in about one to two tablespoons of Round Pond's Blood Orange Olive Oil.  Season the scallops on both sides with pepper first, and cook on medium heat until lightly browned.  Serve with the diced papaya, caramelized shallots and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.  Drizzle a tablespoon of the blood orange vinaigrette on top of each serving.

Other Scallop Recipes On A Kitchen In Brooklyn:


My Scallops With Organic Mushrooms, Lemongrass-Thyme Coconut Broth and Pomegranate
Eric's Fettuccine With Scallops and Mushroom Cream Sauce

Stay tuned to a A Kitchen In Brooklyn for exciting upcoming giveaways in March!

Sasha's Kitchen: Scallops With Papaya, Blood Orange Vinaigrette and Caramelized Shallots

Eric's Kitchen in Jersey City: Fettuccine with Scallops and Mushroom Cream Sauce

Here's another seafood recipe from Eric's kitchen. It's actually from a cookbook I took from my Mom a long time ago called Mystic Seaport's Seafood Secrets Cookbook. It's the first version from 1970. Why mess with a good thing? I was recently flipping through it this past weekend trying to compile a list of recipes I wanted to make when I saw this dish and thought, sounds unhealthy and decadent, and it features a few of Jenn's favorite ingredients, scallops, mushrooms and cream sauce. I should try it! Oddly Sasha had been following a similar line of thinking across the rivers in Brooklyn when she made her Scallops with mushrooms in a spicy lemongrass thyme coconut broth.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):
1 lb. fettuccine
1 lb. Scallops
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
6 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cp. white wine
8 tbsp. water
2 cps. evaporated milk
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tbsp white pepper
6 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp. cornstarch

Since I look at almost any recipe as a suggestion more than a rule,
I added, 1 tbsp (give or take) white truffle oil
1 tsp. chef Prudhomme's blackened redfish magic
1/2 package organic baby spinach
1/2 red pepper, diced

The recipe said you could use half spinach fettuccine and half regular and use frozen Spinach. I however, never see any point in using frozen veggies when you have access to fresh ones.

First, you saute your mushrooms and peppers in olive oil and a small amount of truffle oil. Once the mushrooms and peppers are tender, add the spinach, and stir until wilted, but not too long so that it doesn't get mushy. Remove these from the pan and set aside. Rinse the Scallops and pat them dry with paper towels to ensure they brown properly. Using the oil left in the pan, sear the Scallops on medium to medium high heat. The pan may have some burned spots but this is good. Measure out your white wine and pour a little in at a time as the pan starts to look too dry and continue until they are done cooking. This de-glazes all the rendered fat from the seafood and oil and also helps the scallops brown and creates a nice sauce to cook them in. Anytime you want to brown something in a pan, also leave some room between them pieces and don't touch them for a bit. Fussing too much with them can keep them from properly browning. Once the Scallops are seared on both sides, remove them and place them with the veggies and cover them to keep them hot. I've heard many people complain about not being able to properly sear scallops in a non-stick pan, but I think it did just fine tonight.

Next is the sauce! This is mostly the cookbook's recipe as I probably wouldn't normally use evaporated milk or cornstarch but I'd never really tried this before and didn't want to re-invent the wheel. So you heat 4 tbsp of olive oil, and 6 tbsp of water in a saucepan with the garlic and white pepper. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk almost until the mixture boils. Drain and remove the scallops and veggies and pour in the liquid to your sauce. Stir in the cheese until melted. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and add to the sauce, stirring until it thickens. At this point I tasted the sauce and was a little unimpressed with how bland it was. Jenn and I are a big fan of how one of the local bars, Iron Monkey, serves popcorn with truffle oil and cajun spices which gave me the idea to add some truffle oil and cajun spices! This did the trick. It was a little spicy and more flavorful. I stirred all the ingredients together in a dish with the fettuccine and served it with some white wine and some more Parmesan cheese. It was very decadent and delicious! I wish I had plated it with everything mixed in except the scallops and then placed them on top to show off their nice sear but it certainly didn't detract from the taste.

Eric's Kitchen in Jersey City: Fettuccine with Scallops and Mushroom Cream Sauce

Sasha's Kitchen: Scallops With Organic Mushrooms, Spicy Lemongrass-Thyme Coconut Broth, and Pomegranate

Scallops make perfect small plates.  I'm really never in the mood for a full size scallop entree, so whenever I make scallops, it is almost always as a small plate with a delicious broth and dressing and other ingredients to dress it up.  This is the first of two scallop appetizers I plan to post this week.  This dish served as the introduction to our home-cooked Valentine's Day dinner, after a fabulous night out last night for Valentine's Day eve, capped off with a scrumptious chocolate fondue.


Without further ado, as I am writing between the commercial breaks of the olympic pairs figure skating and moguls, here is how I prepared my impromptu scallop small plate.  This dish features a thai-spiced coconut broth, and a medley or organic mushrooms.  The combination of flavors was dynamic, and the pomegranate seeds were the perfect accompaniment to finish off this winter dish.  I love how the broth turned out - it was delicious and complemented the scallops nicely.  The mushrooms were high quality and flavorful, while the pomegranate seeds gave the dish a nice, tart lift.


Sasha's Small Plate Scallops With Organic Mushrooms, Spicy Lemongrass-Thyme Coconut Broth & Pomegranate (Serves 2 as an appetizer)


1 can lite coconut milk
1 cup low sodium organic chicken broth
1 sprig of thyme
2 tsp dried lemongrass
1/3 tsp red pepper flakes (add some heat, or leave out for a milder broth)
6 sliced organic shiitake mushrooms
handfull of organic tiny chanterelle mushrooms
3 T canola oil
4 scallops
1 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp pomegranate seeds


First, prepare the broth, by combining the coconut broth (use lite broth, which is much lower fat), chicken stock, thyme, thai lemongrass and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for about twenty-five minutes.  In a saute pan, saute the mushrooms in canola oil (about 2T) and then add to the broth.  


Pan sear the scallops in a mixture of a tablespoon of canola oil and a tablespoon of butter, seasoning liberally with pepper and a bit of salt.  Pan sear until slightly browned and cooked through.

Plate by serving the scallops in the coconut broth with the mushrooms, and top with the pomegranate seeds and a bit of chives.  I love the way that I executed this dish from start to finish, and I was very pleased with the plating.

Sasha's Kitchen: Scallops With Organic Mushrooms, Spicy Lemongrass-Thyme Coconut Broth, and Pomegranate