Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Scallops Provencal



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love scallops. Of all the things we take from the sea they are my hands down favorite. They have a history that dates back to Marco Polo who talked about them being sold in the markets of China. Not only are they rich, sweet and tender, they're also affordable. The name, by the way, comes from the French word escalope which means shell. Scallops need to move in order to stay alive, so we won't find them in their shells at the fish market. The part we are sold is actually the "adductor" muscle. Their color can range from pale beige to pink and they should look moist and smell fresh. They should never look pure white. White scallops usually have been sitting in water which causes them to lose nutrients as well as color. To assure freshness, I actually prefer to buy them flash frozen at the market and thaw them in the refrigerator. There are three basic sizes of scallops. The sea scallop is the largest; it's followed in size by bay and, finally, the tiny calico scallop. They have the advantage of cooking quickly and adapting themselves to various sauces. This recipe comes from Ina Garten. I think you'll enjoy this dish.

Scallops Provencal
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in half

Directions:
1) If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each one in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
2) In a very large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat until sizzling and add a single layer of scallops. Lower the heat to medium and allow scallops to brown lightly on one side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes total. Melt remaining butter in the pan with scallops; add shallots, garlic, and parsley and sauté for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Finally, add wine and cook for 1 minutes longer. Pan sauce will thicken slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste to salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately: Yield 3 to 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from the Barefoot Contessa in Paris by Ina Garten.

40 comments :

Karine said...

Wowow it looks amazing!

lk- Healthy Delicious said...

beautiful and delicious. scallops are my favorite too!

My Little Space said...

I love scallops too! That looks so... delicious !

Cathy said...

Scallops are a favorite, but I don't prepare them very often. This looks delish, Mary. You've reminded me how much I enjoy this variety of seafood.

Martha said...

I have always loved scallops, this recipe is definitely a winner (but Ina recipes usually are) -- lovely picture.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Scallops are a favorite at our house. We like to use the "dry packed" ones if we can find them. They're more expensive but vastly superior in taste because they haven't been packed in that liquid you see them sitting in at the market.
Your photo is outstanding as always.
Sam

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I love scallops also. Everyone always raves about shrimp and lobster but scallops are so much better.
I'm going to post a link to your recipe on my blog so I can remember it. I hope you don't mind.
And, I love your header. It's so clear and bright and yummy looking.

Ning said...

We love scallops as well. However, I cannot serve it often as it is one of the expensive seafood here.

Donna-FFW said...

I love the simplicity of these ingredients Mary. It sounds delicious and looks perfect!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

You did a beautiful job--cooking and photography. I love scallops and these are just begging for me to take a bite.

Mary Bergfeld said...

hip chick, not to worry. I'm flattered.

Cindy Khor said...

the scallops looks wonderfully tasty, can't wait to try this recipe ( i do think that its the best seafood in the world, next to prawns)

Monica said...

Hi Mary,
thanks for stopping by and for your lovely comment.
Scallops! Mmmmmmm... love 'em!
Monica.

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Well what a joy to find your blog... so fresh and inviting! I think I just might have to become a follower so I can visit more often :)
Kindly, ldh

Christina Kim said...

What I love about scallops is they cook in no time at all! And when you add all these wonderful flavors (can you really go wrong with butter, lemon, white wine, garlic?), it makes for a delicious meal.

Hootin Anni said...

Once again, you have me drooling!!! [My favorite is the Gulf's jumbo shrimp...they're so sweet, nothing like it anywhere else. Yummy!]

joey said...

Delicious ... and dinner tonight! We used Ina's recipes for our June Garden Club Coctail Party ... a great success ... and Ina autographed a book for us to raffle off. Great fun ... great food. Thanks for this yummy reminder, Mary!

The Fajdich Times said...

Your picture is amazing! Yum. Love any kind of seafood. I am a great fan of Ina's cooking:)

noble pig said...

I love scallops too, they are always a welcomed treat.

Gaby said...

I LOVE PROVENCAL sauce... and I love scallops! This looks like the perfect combination for me!

Maria said...

Scallops are good, but this recipe looks outstanding!

Michele said...

I don't eat fish (only sushi haha) but these scallops look so beautiful! They are so colorful! I want to make them for someone!

The Blonde Duck said...

I can't eat scallops. Le sigh.

Mary Bergfeld said...

LDH, I'm so pleased you join us. I look forward to your comments.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Michele, it's so nice to see you posting. I hope you'll do it often.

Karen said...

Mmm, I love scallops, too. This looks like an easy recipe with amazing results!

Zoe said...

This is perfect for my flash frozen bay scallops that are in my freezer right now!! Thank you so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

looks fresh and perfect for summer!

Olga said...

What a pretty dish! I've never cooked with scallops, but enjoy them at restaurants.

Barbara said...

Oh Mary, I wish I could have a bite of those scallops right now. They look so great.

Lori said...

Any dish with scallops in it I would enjoy. These are definitely my favorite hands down. Up until a little while ago I was allergic to them. Seven years I waited to have them again!

Heather S-G said...

Holy cow...the picture alone has me excited! Amazing, as usual...leftovers?

Selba said...

This looks so scrumptious! Scallops is one my favorite one :)

Deb in Hawaii said...

I like scallops but rarely buy them and cook them. These look delicious and I love all the information in your post about them too.

Kelly Bergsing said...

Oh my!! That looks so great!! I love scallops, prawns, etc. They are my favorite seafood. I never could get over the lobster being cooked alive (since they scream), so I have always avoided that. This will be a wonderful addition. I think my children will like this!! I will definitely have to make this Sunday!! :)

~*~Magpie's Nest said...

What a tantalizing and beautiful blog you have. Thank you for sharing so many tempting treats!

test it comm said...

Those scallops look so good!

Chef Fresco said...

These scallops look so amazing! I absolutely love scallops and am definitely going to have to try this recipe!

Peter M said...

The last time I made a Scallops Provencal, they tasted great but looked nowhere near as good as yours! This I have to try.

Kiezie said...

These look delicious! I love scallops and I would love to eat these right now!!

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