Tag: scallop recipes

Guess Who’s Going to the cook off in Chicago?

Posted on by laurielufkin

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. 1 to 1 1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed & broken into bite sized pieces
  2. 1 small yellow (summer) squash, cut in 1/2 lengthwise & thinly sliced
  3. 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  4. 1 pound medium shell pasta
  5. 3 tablespoons butter
  6. 1 1/2 cups leeks, thinly sliced
  7. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  8. 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops, patted dry & sprinkled lightly with salt & pepper to taste
  1. 1 cup Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio
  2. 3/4 cup chicken broth
  3. 8 oz goat cheese, broken in to small chunks
  4. 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  5. 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  6. Zest of one lemon
  7. 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.