SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CORN CREAM AND MAQUE CHOUX
I always envied folks who grew up in corn country and got to taste those gold and silver ears cooked fresh from the field, just exploding with sweetness. I had a friend whose mother used to say, "Go run and get the corn, and if you drop any on the way back, don't stop to pick it up!" I love the urgency of it. So, when we get a case of really sweet corn at the restaurant, I like to use it two ways: I make this sweet Corn Cream, which goes beautifully with big, juicy sea scallops, and I serve it with the maque choux, so you also get the crisp crunch from the corn kernels in addition to the creamy sauce. If corn isn't in season and you're just dying to make this, use frozen sweet corn.
Yield makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Cut the kernels off the cobs with a serrated knife, being careful not to cut too close. Place the corn with the butter, 1 cup of water, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Pour into a blender jar and pour the cream into the empty pot. Bring the cream to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer while you blend the corn mixture to a smooth puree. Strain the corn puree through a fine sieve into the saucepan with the cream, and whisk. Warm the sauce gently and taste for seasoning. Adjust to desired thickness by reducing it a little or thinning with a little more cream or water. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Cut the kernels from the cob, being careful not to cut too close. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the corn and stir, cooking 4-5 more minutes, then add the tomato. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes are warm, then stir in the scallions. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Place a large skillet over high heat.
- Pat scallops dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the olive oil into the skillet and when very hot (but not quite smoking), add the scallops, being careful not to crowd them. Cook at high heat until the first side is a deep golden brown, 2-3 minutes, then turn the scallops and cook on the other side for about 2 more minutes. Scallops should be firm but not hard. Drain on paper towels. Deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons water, scraping up the brown bits. To serve, pool some of the Corn Cream onto each plate, then pile a little Maque Choux in the center of each plate. Place 3-4 scallops around the Maque Choux and drizzle with pan juices. Serve immediately.
- When pureeing a mixture that contains more solids than liquid, add the solids first, then pulse the blade to break them down, then add liquid. Use caution when blending a hot sauce, and never fill the blender more than a third full. Otherwise, the heat will force the top off the machine.
- Choux is French for "cabbage," but the translation is not literal-there is no cabbage in this dish. Since corn was not a staple of the Acadians' diet, it's believed that the Indians taught the French settlers of Louisiana to make maque choux. This dish is essentially smothered corn or a Cajun version of Yankee succotash made with tomatoes, onions, and green pepper.
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BASIL CREAMED CORN AND CRISPY PROSCIUTTO
Provided by Michele Ragussis, Food Network Star Season 8 Finalist
Categories main-dish
Time 45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- For the basil oil: Place the basil into the oil and set aside to infuse.
- For the basil creamed corn: Cook the shallots in the butter over low heat, covered, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the cream and corn kernels, and cook over low heat for another 2 minutes. Taste and add some sugar (up to 1/4 cup) if the corn is not sweet enough. Cook over low heat until the cream reduces and thickens, 8 to 12 minutes more. Add the basil and remove from the heat.
- For the scallops: Add the canola oil to a very hot large skillet. When shimmering, add the scallops and sear until lightly browned, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side.
- To serve, divide the creamed corn among 4 plates and top with the scallops. Crumble over the prosciutto and drizzle with basil oil (holding back the leaves).
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CREAMED CORN
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Slice the kernels off 4 ears of corn. Grate the remaining 2 ears on the large holes of a box grater.
- Bring 1/2 cup water, the vinegar, sugar and a big pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat; add the sliced red onion and set aside to pickle, at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the diced red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the evaporated milk and grated corn. Simmer until thick, 5 to 7 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm over low heat.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until cooked through, about 1 more minute.
- Divide the corn among bowls and top with the scallops. Drain the pickled onion, reserving 2 teaspoons of the liquid. Toss the onion and liquid with the tomatoes, basil and parsley; season with salt. Add to each bowl.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 470, Fat 15 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Cholesterol 41 milligrams, Sodium 903 milligrams, Carbohydrate 55 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 32 grams, Sugar 21 grams
PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS, CORN, AND TOMATOES
Steps:
- Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary and halve any large scallops. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and in a bowl toss with salt and thyme. In a large non-stick skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and with a slotted spoon transfer to paper towels to drain. Increase heat to moderately high and in drippings remaining in skillet sear scallops, stirring occasionally, until golden and cooked through. With slotted spoon transfer scallops to a clean bowl.
- In same skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté scallions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Add corn and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Return scallops to skillet and heat through, seasoning mixture with salt and pepper.
- Serve scallops sprinkled with bacon.
PAN-SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH CORN COULIS
This delicious recipe for pan-seared sea scallops with corn coulis comes from Sara Foster.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Seafood Recipes
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Remove the muscle from each scallop and discard. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place half of the scallops in the pan and cook, turning once, until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to a plate and loosely cover to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining butter, olive oil, and scallops.
- Reduce heat to medium; add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and scrape brown bits from bottom of skillet. Add corn, cream, basil, and chives. Cook, stirring often, until cream is reduced and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer half of the sauce to the jar of a blender and puree until smooth. Return pureed sauce to the skillet with the remaining sauce, add scallops and any juices that have accumulated on the plate; cook until warm about 1 minute.
- Divide scallops evenly among 4 plates. Spoon sauce around scallops and serve immediately.
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