Me! Thank you all so much for your votes and encouragement. I am so grateful for your support and I am going to start practicing this week to make sure I get it executed perfectly in 45 minutes.
The cook off will be Saturday, September 25th on the main stage of Chicago Gourmet 2010, a food and wine festival a Millennium Park downtown http://www.illinoisrestaurants.org/associations/2039/chicagogourmet/ and it is a good thing I can cook in front of a crowd because this is a big deal. I had no idea when I got involved in this that we would be cooking during the festival but I am excited to do so.
Thank you all again so much for your votes–the support of the GMG community is the BEST! And in case you want to try what I hope is going to be the winning recipe, here it is:
Creamy Seaside Shells with Pan Seared Scallops and Seasonal Vegetables
Paired with Pinot Grigio
Description:
Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio pairs beautifully with seafood, particularly when prepared with a delicate sauce, fresh garden vegetables, herbs and zesty citrus. Delicious served warm or cold.
Ingredients:
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed & broken into bite sized pieces
- 1 small yellow (summer) squash, cut in 1/2 lengthwise & thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound medium shell pasta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups leeks, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops, patted dry & sprinkled lightly with salt & pepper to taste
- 1 cup Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 8 oz goat cheese, broken in to small chunks
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Zest of one lemon
- Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray and place asparagus and squash in a single layer in the pan. Drizzle with 2 TBSP oil, season with salt & pepper and bake for 7 minutes. Cook shells in salted water until al dente. Drain, pour into a large bowl, toss with 1 TBSP oil, season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile melt 3 TBSP oil with butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and cook over medium heat, 5-10 minutes or until cooked. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Increase heat to high and sear scallops on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan, cover and set aside. Add Pinot Grigio and broth, scraping browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Return leeks and garlic to pan and whisk to combine. Slowly add goat cheese, and whisk until a creamy sauce forms. Stir in all vegetables and combine with pasta. Stir in dill and zest. Serve topped with 3-4 scallops per bowl.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Awesome! How exciting, that’s a huge deal! Best of luck.
Jenn
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Laurie…
Congratulations…I am excited that one of our great “cooking crew” here at the fair is off to Chicago!
Good Luck…make sure you come back to the fair, October 1-11!
Sally
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I promise I will be there, Sally! Getting excited already and can’t wait till the book is finished so I can start plotting and planning my competitions!
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