Jon's Qualicum Scallops
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Updated: August 07, 2009 1:10 PM
Jonathon Crofts, owner of the Codfather’s Seafood Market in Kelowna will be one of the participants in the first Okanagan Feast of Fields. He’s currently into preparing one-dish meals for his family and often they include seafood—not surprisingly.
Jon says for this recipe he recommends using Qualicum scallops since B.C. now has a scallop industry at last, and the product is great. It arrives fresh three times a week (rather than frozen from the east coast), and it comes from open ocean nets, a system of raising shellfish without harming the environment, approved as Oceanwise by the Vancouver Aquarium.
At this time of the year the scallops are at their most plump and delicious, he advises.
12 oz. (350 g) large scallops
2 tbsp. (30 mlº) butter
pancetta (or lardons, or chopped streaky bacon)
whipping cream,
chopped sage or parsley
1 glass white wine
This is a one-dish wonder which guarantees plate-licking results in less than 10 minutes!
First, fry the pancetta until crispy, with no oil, so that the fat oozes out. (You could also use lardons which are cubed bits of belly-cut bacon, such as available from L&D meats, or just chopped-up streaky bacon, but pancetta works best).
Reserve the crispy pancetta, and drain any excess bacon fat from the pan, leaving enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
Heat the pan to a high heat and place the scallops on the remaining bacon fat to sear. Leave them alone and don`t move them.
Turn them after a minute to sear the other side, then remove and reserve them.
Deglaze the pan with a glass of white wine (nothing too oaky or sweet, muscadet is great, or pinot blanc) and drink the rest.
Reduce for a minute or two, then add whipping cream and cook until the sauce becomes nice and creamy, and coats a spoon. (You can use low fat sour cream, but you would need to balance the sauce with sugar so why bother?)
Add the fresh chopped herbs. Melt a knob of unsalted butter into the sauce.
Pop the scallops back into the hot sauce to poach for a minute, then serve them over steamed rice, topping with the crispy pancetta.
Garnish with more fresh herbs if available.
Accompany with a sliced Okanagan Grocery "Batard" Baguette to mop up the sauce.
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