Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

My husband is the seafood cook in our house.  He is always suprising me with the quality of the dishes he turns out.  I usually try to stay out of his way while he is in the kitchen because it is hard for me to turn over the job to him without commenting on the way he is doing things.  I am a control freak in that way.  So I let him get creative and then I clean up the mess when he is finished.  It is always worth it.

Shrimp scampi is so delightful and so rich.  It is even better when that richness is tempered with angel hair pasta which soaks up all of the buttery goodness.  He found a recipe on Epicurious and adapted it to his liking.  We are both big fans of lemon flavors and capers so he added them to the recipe.  This was such a refreshing pasta dish.  I could have eaten the whole bowl.  It was also very simple to make and didn’t require a whole lot of clean up by the sous chef.

We are celebrating the first tastes from the garden today. Yesterday morning we spent some time weeding and harvesting what we could. The lettuce was ready and waiting to be picked.

To our surprise, hidden amongst the cucumber vines were three lovely plump cucumbers. I was anticipating picking squash, but there was only one squash large enough to be taken. Normally I like my squash smaller, but the rest of the squash were just too small. I am giving them another few days. The spring onions and some beets came from a local farm stand.

I decided to make a salad from the lettuce, cucumbers, onions and beets. I made a mustard tarragon viniagrette to go with it. I marinated the onions in a little tarragon vinegar to temper the raw taste. I learned this trick from Laurie Calder on the new Food Channel.

With the salad I made salmon cakes with fresh tarragon from my herb garden. I always have canned salmon on hand for simple meals. This was a very satisfying meal, made more so by the humble fresh ingredients. I hope to post a great squash casserole recipe next, but in the meantime this is what I did with the salmon.

SALMON TARRAGON CAKES

Makes 2 salmon patties

1 7 1/2 ounce can wild Alaska sockeye red salmon

1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

1 minced spring onion

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg beaten

flour for dusting

1 tablespoon olive oil

Drain and pick over canned salmon removing skin and large bones. In a bowl mix salmon with minced tarragon, onion and bread crumbs. Add as much of the beaten egg as necessary to moisten the bread crumbs. I used most of the egg. Form salmon into two patties. When ready to saute. dust both sides lightly with flour and place in a preheated oiled pan. Cook on medium heat until both sides of the salmon are nicely browned and the ingredients are cooked through.

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I love watching Tyler Florence’s ultimate recipes on The Food Network. Everything he makes looks like perfection. Last week he made this recipe using scallops and I was determined to try it. When I got to the supermarket shrimp were about half the price of scallops and since I have been cooking alot of scallops lately, I thought the shrimp would be a good alternative. The carrots he used in the recipe were fresh baby carrots and they looked like they had just been pulled from the earth and gently washed. All I could find were the bagged small carrots that I usually avoid. Tyler used wild chanterelle mushrooms but there was not a wild mushroom in sight at the market, so I used plain button mushrooms. The beurre blanc sauce that he used got several negative reviews and was heavy on the vinegar and butter so I looked for a buerre blanc sauce that was kinder to our weight loss program. (As an update I am 8 pounds lighter and am looking forward to walking the mountain roads in Lake Lure). He did suggest that frozen peas were a fine substitute for fresh baby peas so that was not a problem. I already had one sheet of puff pastry in the freezer that had been there for a time and when I cooked my pastry cups they did not get as tall as Tyler’s but I persevered with my prep work wondering how I could have gotten so off base with a recipe. By the time I plated the food, it looked very appetizing, and when we sat down to eat, it all tasted outstanding. Just imagine what it would be like if I had all of the right ingredients. This recipe is a keeper and when I get to the Farmer’s Market in Asheville I will be looking for fresh baby carrots, fresh peas in the pod and wild chanterelle mushrooms.

SAUTEED SHRIMP IN BEURRE BLANC WITH BABY SPRING VEGETABLES IN PUFF PASTRY

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed and cut into 4 1/2 inch diameter circles
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sea salt (I used Kosher salt)
1 cup sweet baby peas or frozen peas run under warm water to thaw
2 bunches baby carrots, trimmed and peeled with a little stem left on
1 pound shelled and deveined shrimp or 1 pound scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint chanterelles, halved (or similar wild mushrooms)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Beurre Blanc:
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter cut into small cubes and kept cold
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by baking the puff pastry cups. Lay the thawed puff pastry sheet on a light floured surface. Using a 4 1/2 inch round cutter, cut out 4 circles. Set them on a parchement-lined sheet pan. Lightly score the tops of the puff pastry with a 4 inch round cutter. This will help remove the top of the puff pastry after it is cooked, to create a cup. Beat egg then use a a pastry brush to brush the tops. Season with sea salt and place into the preheated oven. Bake in oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crispy. Once cooled, cut the tops of the cups off and lay bases out on plates with the tops next to them.

For the carrots and peas. If using fresh baby carrots, add carrots to a pot of boiling water and blanch them until they are tender but firm, about 2 minutes. If using fresh peas add them about 1 minute after the carrots. Drain the vegetables and set aside. If using bagged small carrots, place on a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil and roast in the oven until slightly browned. If using frozen peas, run them under warm water to thaw.

Clean the shrimp or scallops and season with salt and pepper. Set a large saute pan over high heat and add olive oil. Once heated, add shrimp and cook until they just turn pink. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until done. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the carrots and peas. Keep warm.

Make the beurre blanc sauce. Add the minced shallot, vinegar and wine to a small saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until liquid is reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the cream and warm it in the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the cold butter cubes a few at a time whisking to incorporate them. Continue adding cubes and whisking until all of the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Keep the heat low so the butter does not separate. Remove from heat.

To serve, portion out the shrimp mixture in and around the pastry cups on the plates. Spoon sauce on shrimp mixture and put tops back on pastry cups. Serve immediately.

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Just the name of this recipe evokes elegance. It is Champagne Poached Scallops with Red Pepper Pesto. I found the recipe from Robert Irvine on The Food Network last year. The first time I prepared it my husband and I had an OMG moment. The richness of the scallops covered with a champagne reduction sauce in combination with the flavorful pesto and the crunch of the toasted baguette was as close to perfection as one can get. I fixed it again last night. We decided to have it with a simple salad for supper. But if you decide to make it as an appetizer for guests, it would be wonderful for a celebratory champagne occasion.

The components can be done in stages. I roasted the red peppers on the grill, but if you want to save time you could buy a jar or two of already roasted red peppers. It is easy to throw the pesto ingredients together in the food processor. The baquette slices can also be toasted ahead of time. David poached the scallops right before dinner and reduced the champagne sauce. We then assembled the baguette slices, spooned the champagne reduction over the scallops and ate our simple supper with the rest of the champagne and the salad.

Although this was really good this time, we didn’t have the same sublime reaction. The only thing I did differently was to garnish the scallops with lime zest. That was a mistake. It seemed to overpower the dish and take away from the total effect. If you want to garnish, I would suggest parsley since it is very mild. Why is it that sometimes it is hard to repeat the taste sensation of a first time impression? Perhaps it is because you know what to expect and the surprise element is missing. I hope you will be pleasantly surprised by this appetizer.

CHAMPAGNE POACHED SCALLOPS WITH RED PEPPER PESTO

Red Pepper Pesto:
2 large red bell peppers, washed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt, if needed

1 Baguette loaf, cut into 24 pieces

2 cups champagne
1 fresh lime
24 large sea scallops

Roast or grill the red bell peppers until the skins are charred then, using tongs transfer them to a covered container such as a small pan with a lid or even a platic zip-lock bag to let them rest. Peel them when cool.

Prepare the pesto. In a food processor pulse the garlic and pine nuts until fine. Add the red peppers, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pepper and salt if using. Process until combined and fairly smooth.

Toast the baguette slices lightly on a baking sheet and set aside.

Bring Champagne to a boil in a large skillet. Squeeze in juice of lime, then add the scallops and poach until they are no longer translucent. Remove scallops to a plate and let Champagne reduce by about two-thirds.

Spoon some red pepper pesto onto each slice of bread and top with a scallop. Top with a small amount of the champagne reduction and serve.

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Sometimes the beauty of a dish is in the plating. It helps if it is also delicious. We are trying to savor our food more, eat slowly, and appreciate the beauty of what we are eating. It helps to light candles, set a pretty table and get rid of the distractions of the latest news frenzy. Music is also a good idea. We have many favorites; Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and Raul Malo’s You’re Only Lonely CD. He has a voice with the haunting range of Roy Orbison. But I think I am dating myself with this list, and we are looking like Country Western nuts, which we really aren’t. We have a very eclectic taste in music, but for some reason this is what we like to listen to while dining. I would like to hear what kind of music all of you like to hear on a relaxed evening.

Sea scallops are so rich and succulent. You don’t need many to feel satisfied. If you can find Diver’s scallops you are in for a real treat. Most sea scallops are harvested by dredging the sea bottom for the scallop shells. The problem with this is that it disturbs and displaces the natural vegetation while gathering the scallops. Diver’s scallops are harvested by real divers who pluck them from their resting places in the sea. They are less gritty and the process does not disturb the ecosystem. Bay scallops, which are smaller than sea scallops, are in short supply today because of the loss of sea grasses near our shores where they like to attach. Developments on our beaches have reduced the vegetation needed to nurture bay scallops.

Sarah Foster, one of my favorite chefs, and restauranteurs has a great recipe for sea scallops with I have adapted for our weight loss program. Scallops are so flavorful on their own that they lend themselves to simple preparations. This is a quick and effortless dinner.

PAN-SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH CITRUS BUTTER

1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops (about 24)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black bepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon zest

Rinse the scallops under cool water, pat dry with a paper towel, and place them in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and cayenne, and toss gently to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat until the butter melts and sizzles. Working in batches, place the scallops in the hot skillet, leaving about 1/2 inch between each scallop. Sear the scallops, undisturbed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until they are opaque and light golden around the edges. The scallops will continue to cook after they’re out of the pan so it’s better to undercook than overcook them. Remove the scallops from the pan, place them on a platter, and cover looselhy with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the second and possibly third batch of scallps. adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed.

When all the scallops are cooked, pour the orange juice, lemon juice, and 1/2 of the lemon zest into the skillet, scrapping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add any juices that have acculmulated around the scallops. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until it reduces by half. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon fo butter until it melts.

If the scallops have cooled too much, return them to the pan with the sauce to warm very briefly over medium heat before serving. Serve the scallops over rice with the sauce spooned over them and sprinkled with the remaining lemon zest. Serves 4 to 6.

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