Caramelized Sea Scallops and Mediterranean Orzo Risotto

My visit to the South Beach Wine and Food Festival was more than just an indulgent foodie fantasy, it was a great learning experience that provided me with endless ideas for new recipes and food pairings.  The demonstrations we attended were both entertaining and informative and I sat there intently writing notes about what the chef’s were making so I could try my own version at home.  The chef who most captured my attention was Emeril Lagasse.  His larger-than-life presence and passion for food is mesmorising and the dishes he was preparing live on stage made me want to jump up there and join in with him.

I saw him live on Sunday morning, fresh off what sounded like quite the party the night before.  He could have been very hungover for all I know, but he played it off as funny and really got the audience laughing.  His menu for the demo consisted of a Rose Sangria, Proscuitto and Melon Salad, Creamy Orzo Risotto, and a Citrus Roasted Red Snapper.  Sangria is a drink that I enjoy but have never made before.  The cold Florida winter has made it somewhat undersireable to be outside, but as soon as the weather warms up this sounds like the perfect cocktail for an outdoor bbq or dinner party.  The snapper dish was also something new to me, as I don’t cook fish a whole lot, but his presentation and use of aromatics made it sound like something anyone would enjoy, fish lover or not.  The key to that recipe was cooking the fish on a bed of orange slices and stuffing it with rosemary and garlic. Yum!

The dish that really spoke to me was the Orzo Risotto.  If you have been reading my blog for a period of time then you have probably noticed that I have a fondness for this creamy, stock based carb lovers dish.  There is something about the flavor that develops when you cook a grain or pasta over time with stock that can’t be matched.  Plus it’s so versatile that you can really add just about anything to it.  The fact that he used orzo over the traditional arborrio rice was intriguing and the Mediterranean flavors he added to enhance it made it sound like the perfect dish to add to my repertoire.

I thought a nice compliment to this starchy side dish would be some light sea scallops, and there is a recipe in Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home that i’ve been wanting to try for some time now based on the beautiful photo that accompanied it in the book.  You could pair this Orzo Risotto with just about anything, fish, chicken, or even a nice steak. It is easy to prepare and the ingredients added to it at the end are easy to mix and match. My version below is a slight variation from what Emeril used, but the end result was a creamy, al dente orzo that packed a punch of flavor in each bite.

Caramelized Sea Scallops

Adapted from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home

This recipe is based on 1 serving (could be 2 if you’re a light eater).

Note from Thomas Keller: To make this dish successful and ensure a caramelized finish on the outside, make sure your pan is very hot and don’t move the scallops until they are ready to be turned.  They will be easy to release on their own. When you flip them try to place them in another part of the pan as that surface will be hotter and give a better sear to the second side.  A stainless steel skillet would be best, but if you have a non-stick (as I do) it will work as long as you ensure the pan is hot enough.

Ingredients

8-10 medium sized sea scallops
2 tablespoons clarified butter (4 tablespoons unsalted butter)
kosher salt
fresh lemon juice

Directions

To make the clarified butter, cut 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter into cubes and put in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook until a white film begins to form on the surface and skim off, leaving the clear butter.  Set aside. *If you have extra be sure to freeze it and use it later on for dipping lobster, brushing on flatbreads or sautéing meat or fish.
Rinse the scallops and dry them using paper towels.  Make sure they are as dry as you can get them before cooking so they will get a golden color when cooking.
Sprinkle the scallops with kosher salt.
Heat the clarified butter in a skillet over medium high heat, until the butter starts to smoke.
Place the scallops in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottoms have become golden brown.  Flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden on both sides and opaque in color.
Remove from the pan and set on a cooling rack and squeeze the juice from a lemon over the top.

Mediterranean Orzo Risotto

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Serves 1

Ingredients

EVOO
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup dried orzo pasta
1 cup chicken or beef stock
mozzarella or provolone cheese (use as much or as little cheese as you like, I cut up one slice of provolone)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup raw spinach leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small saucepan, pour in your stock and bring to a simmer.  Remove from heat and let sit on the stove.
Heat the EVOO in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add in the onions and sweat until soft and translucent.
Toss in the orzo and coat in the oil and onion mixture.  Toast the orzo for 2-3 minutes, stirring often to prevent it from burning or sticking.
Pour in enough stock to coat the orzo and cook until all the liquid has absorbed.  Continue adding the stock a little at a time until the orzo has doubled in size and is al dente.  Should take about 15 minutes.
Toss in the cheese, tomatoes, spinach and garlic.  Stir to combine and let simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and it’s a nice creamy consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese on top once plated.

I tried to step up my presentation with the plating shown above, a simple and easy way to add flare to your dish and impress your guests with a gourmet meal that they will think you slaved over.  Tip for getting the orzo to sit just right: pack it into a small bowl and put your plate on top.  Flip the plate and bowl over to release the orzo, it should remain in the center and have a perfect round shape.

Bon Appetit!