Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon, Shallots, and Capers

Source: The New Best Recipe

I've never had scallops before, but wanted to try these since scallops are incredibly easy to cook. Basically, get a pan hot, cook for a couple of minutes, turn over for another 30 seconds or so, and you're done! You never want to overcook scallops.

I really enjoyed these, and the sauce was a perfect accompaniment. You can't go wrong when lemon, white wine, and capers come together! If you're looking for an impressive but easy dish, this fits the bill!

Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon, Shallots, and Capers

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops

Salt and ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 medium shallot, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice from lemon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced capers

Salt and ground black pepper

1. Sprinkle the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add half the butter and swirl to coat the pan bottom. Continue to heat the pan until the butter beings to turn golden brown.

2. Add half the scallops, one at a time, flat-side down. Cook, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the fat from burning, until the scallops are well browned 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops, one at a time. Cook until medium-rare (the sides have firmed up and all but the middle third of the scallop is opaque), 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes longer, depending on size. Remove to a platter and cover.

3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet and saute the shallot in the fat until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and lemon zest and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 6 to 7 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the butter, parsley, lemon juice, capers, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the scallops and serve at once.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Sesame Seed Crust

Source: Cook's Illustrated

I have a penchant for smothering most of my seafood in cream-based sauces. As one of my favorite comedians Jim Gaffigan has said, "You know what's good on fish? Anything that kills the taste of fish." 

When I saw this recipe, I had originally planned on making the suggested chutney, too, but had to skip it when I was missing several key ingredients. I ended up being glad I didn't, because this was SO GOOD. It came together incredibly quick. I ended up using skinless fillets, and I just loved the crust that the pan-searing left on both sides of the fish. The combination of salt, pepper, and sesame was heavenly.  Simple and filling. You must try this recipe!

Being that my fish was skinless, I kept the sesame seeds to one of the tops and sides, and started searing the fish on the seedless side first. 

Pan-Seared Salmon with Sesame Seed Crust

1/4	cup sesame seeds
4	salmon fillets skin-on, each about 6 ounces and 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick
	Table salt and ground black pepper
3	teaspoons canola oil or vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet for 3 minutes over high heat. Spread sesame seeds in a pie plate. Rub salmon fillets with 2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then press flesh sides of fillets in sesame seeds to coat.

2. Add remaining oil to pan; swirl to coat. When oil shimmers (but does not smoke) add fillets skin side down and cook, without moving fillets, until pan regains lost heat, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue to cook until skin side is well browned and bottom half of fillets turns opaque, 4 1/2 minutes. Turn fillets and cook, without moving them, until they are no longer translucent on the exterior and are firm, but not hard, when gently squeezed: 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium. Remove fillets from pan, being careful not to break sesame crust; let stand 1 minute. Pat with paper towel to absorb excess fat on surface, if desired. Serve immediately.

Seafood Gratin

Adapted from: Barefoot Contessa at Home

Boy, oh boy. If this doesn't make you go out and buy one of Ina's cookbooks, I don't know what will! I saw this on Smells Like Home and what with my seafood addiction and all, had to make it! This is the best dish I've cooked so far in 2009! So incredibly tasty and flavorful. If you like seafood, this is a must-make dish!

A couple of drawbacks: yes, the dish is expensive. You need 8 ounces each of lobster, fish, and shrimp. But as the Smells Like Home blogger notes, you really could not get 4 servings of a dish like this at a restaurant for $30!

The prep time is also lengthy. For me, it took about 2 and a half hours from initial prepping to the table. Part of that is I truly suck at julienning...well, anything, so that step took me a good 20 minutes or so.

I cannot wait to heat this up again tomorrow...yum!

Seafood Gratin

1 cup clam juice

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons white wine, divided

3 tablespoon tomato puree

8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails cut off and cut in half crosswise

8 ounces halibut or cod, cut into 1-inch chunks

8 ounces cooked lobster meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 cups julienned leeks, white and green parts (2-3 leeks)

1 1/2 cups julienned carrots (3 carrots)

1 cup panko

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place 4 individual gratin dishes on sheet pans. (I used a square baking dish.)
2. Combine the stock, cream, 1/2 cup of the wine, and the tomato puree in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and add the shrimp. After 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp to a bowl. Add the halibut to the stock for 3 minutes, until just cooked through, and remove to the same bowl. Add the cooked lobster to the bowl.
3. Continue to cook the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes. Mash 1 tablespoon of the butter together with the flour. Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saute pan. Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
5. Combine the panko, Parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until they’re moistened.
6. Divide the seafood among the 4 gratin dishes. Strew the vegetables on top of each dish. Pour the sauce equally over the seafood and vegetables and spoon the crumbs evenly on top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve hot.