Best Scallop Porcupines With Basil Mint Sauce Recipes

SCALLOPS WITH CREAM AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put 4 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add scallops; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides, adjusting heat so they brown nicely; they need not cook through. Remove them to a plate.
• Turn off heat, cool pan a bit and wipe out. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When it melts, add shallots, garlic, chile flakes and a little more salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, or until shallots soften.
• Add wine, raise heat a bit, and let bubble away for a minute or so until reduced by about 1/2; add cream and repeat. When liquid is thick, return scallops and juices to pan.
• Cook for about a minute, stirring in 1/2 the basil, until scallops are just firm. Taste and adjust seasoning, transfer to small bowls or plates with a bit of sauce, garnish with remaining basil, and serve.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MINT, PEAS, AND BACON

Steps:

• Place scallops on a paper towel-lined plate and pat very dry with additional paper towels. Season both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper total.
• Bring 1 cup water to a boil, covered, in a small pot. Add peas and 1/2 tsp. salt; cook until peas are bright green and tender, about 2 minutes for fresh and 4 minutes for frozen. Drain peas through a strainer set over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, add bacon to a large skillet and heat over medium-high. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned and bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon and shallot to a small bowl, reserving fat in skillet. Add 1/2 cup cooked peas to bacon mixture.
• Purée lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, the remaining 1 1/2 cups peas, and 1/2 cup reserved pea cooking liquid in a blender. Add oil and pureé until smooth. Add 2 Tbsp. mint leaves and pureé until just combined but pieces of mint are still visible. Divide pea purée among 4 plates.
• Heat skillet with reserved fat over high until just barely smoking. Working in batches and adding more oil if necessary, sear scallops until a golden brown crust has formed and scallop releases from skillet, about 3 minutes per side. Top pea purée with scallops and bacon-pea mixture, then sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. mint.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS STUFFED WITH BASIL

Steps:

• Mince the basil, garlic, salt and pepper together until very fine, almost a puree (or use a small food processor). Transfer to a small bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil to produce a thick paste.
• Cut most but not all of the way through the equator of each scallop; then, smear about 1/4 teaspoon of the basil mixture on the exposed center; close the scallop.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat for a minute; add the remaining oil, then the scallops, one at a time. Brown one side (it should take no longer than 1 or 2 minutes); then, turn it and brown the other.
• Place scallops on a bed of greens. Turn the heat to low, and add the lemon juice to the skillet. Cook, stirring, for about 10 seconds; then, pour the pan juices over the scallops and greens, and serve.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH LEMONGRASS SAUCE AND BASIL, MINT AND CILANTRO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, nonstick pan over low heat. Cook onion with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 12 minutes. Stir in lemon grass, garlic and chiles. Add wine. Raise heat to high, then simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and juice; break apart tomatoes. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Force sauce through a colander and discard solids. Season with salt and pepper.
• For Salad:
• Toss all ingredients in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• For Scallops:
• Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat 1 minute; add oil. Cook 8 scallops 1 minute; reduce heat to medium-high; cook undisturbed until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn scallops over; cook 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Repeat. Divide scallops and sauce among 8 bowls and top with salad.

SCALLOP "PORCUPINES" WITH BASIL-MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Stack phyllo sheets atop one another on work surface. Cut crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Stack strips atop one another; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Place strips in medium bowl. Using fingers, toss strips to separate. Mix flour and curry powder in pie dish; add salt and pepper. Whisk egg to blend in small bowl. Coat scallops 1 at a time with flour mixture. Dip into egg, then into phyllo strips, coating completely. Place on plate.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour enough oil into heavy medium saucepan to reach depth of 3 inches; heat to 350°F. Working in batches, deep-fry scallops just until coating is golden, about 25 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer scallops to baking sheet. Bake scallops just until opaque in center, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Divide Basil-Mint Sauce among 4 plates. Top each with 3 scallops.