A Dish Worth Savoring This Summer with a Glass of Rosé
Last summer in the South of France, I tried sea scallops in their purest form with the corail attached (coral or roe) which happens to be the most tender part of the sea scallop and is considered a delicacy. In the U.S. the corail is taken off for a few reasons such as high mercury content and for preservation purposes, but I have to be honest, it was oh-so-delicious.
That said, scallops are no stranger to my palate. When I was younger my parents, who are excellent cooks, would make Coquilles St. Jacques (Gratineed Scallops - amazing) for special occasions but last summer's reintroduction of scallops into my life made me want to experiment with different flavors. Of the scallop dishes I've made (Seared Scallops with a Herb-Butter Sauce and Scallops Provençal), this most recent dish with Morels in Beurre Blanc left me wanting more.
Why this combination? Well, I had been thinking for a while about how to combine my absolute favorite mushroom, morel, with scallops and with a little research and inspiration, I came up with this dish. Warning, if you are not a fan of butter, you will want to pass, but if you are, let me introduce you to a meal that is perfect for a hot summer night with a glass of rosé ... bien sur.
Ingredients Needed for Dish
Morels 12 dried morels (I bought mine at Whole Foods) Soak in hot water for around 30 minutes, so they become soggy. Then cut all into small horizontal pieces.
Beurre Blanc
1/4 cup of Champagne vinegar 1 small shallot (cut into finely small pieces) 1 1/2 sticks of cold unsalted butter 1/2 cup of dry white wine 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, minced shallots and 1/4 cup of the wine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Add the heavy cream and start whisking slowly. Then add in the cold butter by tablespoon square pieces and keep whisking. Once all of the butter has been used, add in the remaining 1/4 cup of white wine.
(Note: As you drop in your last tablespoon of butter in the saucepan, start the scallops)
Scallops 1 dozen sea scallops
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the sea scallops Place in the pan with a little butter and cook them for 3 minutes on each side (until they are golden brown).
Plate It
Once the scallops are done, place on the plate and top with morels and the beurre blanc et voila!
Since morel mushrooms and sea scallops are both quite flavorful on their own, I searched for a rosé that was light enough yet tasty and by pure happenstance, fell upon this winner at Whole Foods - 2013 Domaine d'Astros Cuvée Prestige. Beautiful in color and comprised of a blend of grenache, caladoc and cinsault grapes, this rosé has elegant notes of raspberry and fruit with mineral nuances.
Hope you enjoy this delightful meal when you make it!
Bon Appétit!
