It’s that time of year when the farmer’s market is filled with fresh vegetables and one’s thoughts turn to…the pig.
I can’t help it. We have been so good this summer. The pig has barely made an appearance at any of our dinners.
Sometimes I feel like I’m running a seafood restaurant.
Tonight I just couldn’t stand it anymore. We had beautiful sea scallops, fresh “peaches and cream” corn, red bell peppers, fresh lima beans.
And all I could think about was the pancetta. Sitting lost and alone in the fridge.
It positively threw itself into the hot cast iron skillet.
The rest is history.
Fabulous edible history.
Pan Seared Scallops with Fresh Thyme and Summer Vegetables
1 pound large sea scallops, patted dry
2 pieces pancetta, diced
A good swirl extra virgin olive oil
Several sprigs fresh thyme
2 ears peaches and cream corn, cut from cob
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 cup fresh lima beans
2 green onions, diced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat good swirl of extra virgin olive oil in cast iron skillet. Throw in the pancetta and let it brown til crisp. Remove from pan and let the pancetta drain on paper towels.
Be sure the scallops are as dry as possible and put them in the hot cast iron skillet. Let cook, undisturbed until they are golden brown and caramelized on the bottom. Turn and season with lots of freshly ground black pepper and a bit of coarse salt. Cook a couple of minutes til done and remove to a bowl and sprinkle with fresh thyme bits (stripped from the stem, not chopped).
Add the green onion and red bell pepper and cook for several minutes, until soft. Add the limas and the corn and cook for about five minutes until done. Toss with the scallops and fresh thyme and sprinkle with the pancetta.
Serves 3 generously.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pan Seared Scallops with Fresh Thyme and Summer Vegetables
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Ancho Chile-Brown Sugar Rubbed Wild Salmon with Grilled Silver Queen Corn Relish
Silver Queen corn is coming into the markets here in Middle Tennessee.
If you haven’t tried this particular kind of corn, put it on your list of things to eat.
Boiled, steamed, grilled it is a flavorful corn that lends itself to all preparations.
Which, of course, leads me to Grilled Silver Queen Corn Relish.
Just a few ears of corn, boiled for 5 minutes, then thrown on the grill for a couple of minutes to slightly brown, then mixed with a bit of wild honey, fresh cilantro , a roasted jalapeno and a bit of olive oil and lime juice.
It’s the perfect accompaniment to a couple of gorgeous Ancho Chile-Brown Sugar rubbed grilled wild salmon fillets.
Long live the Queen.
Ancho Chile-Brown Sugar Rubbed Wild Salmon with Grilled Silver Queen Corn Relish
Adapted from several recipes by Bobby Flay
Grilled Silver Queen Corn Relish
3 ears of corn, shucked and boiled for five minutes
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp wild honey
1 jalapeno, roasted, seeded and chopped
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 green onions, grilled for about three minutes and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro*
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the grill to medium high. Place corn on the grill and cook on all sides for about two minutes. You just want it to color a bit. Remove and scrape corn off cob into bowl. Should be about 1-½ cups.
Put lime juice, honey and roasted jalapeno in blender. Blend to mix.
Turn blender on and add the extra virgin olive oil in steady stream til it emulsifies.
Add the green onions to the corn and add the jalapeno mix. Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 2 very generously.
Ancho Chile-Brown Sugar Rub
2 nice sized fillets wild salmon, skin left on one side
2 tbsp ancho chile powder
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-½ tsp brown sugar
A really good pinch ground cinnamon
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
A couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil
Combine the rub mixture, careful with the olive oil, you just want this to come together, not be too thick or thin., remember you want it to stick to the salmon and not run off.
Coat the salmon on the skinless side with the rub. Let sit for 15 minutes.
On medium hot grill, put salmon skin side down and cook for about five minutes. Then turn the fillets and cook for a couple of minutes til the sugar caramelizes.
Serves 2.
* I didn't have a lot of cilantro, so I threw in some Italian parsley to augment what I had. Stick with the cilantro!
