This is a rich and creamy dish that’s simple to prepare – put a pot of rice on before you start, and you can be seated at the table in 25 minutes.The sherry boosts the flavor of the mushrooms and cuts through the cream; even picky eaters who claim not to like seafood will appreciate this sauce.Serve over seasoned rice, alongside a clean green vegetable like asparagus or broccoli with lemon; salads and bread are a nice accompaniment, as well.
You will need:
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and chopped
6 T butter
½ lb. mushrooms – crimini, portabellos, morels, or other denser, meatier varieties work best – washed and sliced
4 scallions, chopped
2 small shallots, minced
½ cup dry sherry
½ cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1 lb. scallops – both baby scallops and large ones will work
2 tsp flour
½ cup half and half
salt and pepper
a couple dashes of nutmeg
Tabasco to taste
1.Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, and sauté the garlic and mushrooms.
2.Once the mushrooms release their juices, add the scallions and shallots, and cook until the shallots are translucent.
3.Pour in the sherry, stirring lightly to combine.Add the scallops and parsley and continue to cook for a few minutes.Toss in the flour and mix well, to remove lumps.
4.Slowly pour in the half and half; simmer until the sauce thickens and the scallops are cooked through.Be careful not to overcook.Season with salt and pepper, nutmeg, and Tabasco to taste.
The Pacific Northwest is home to a number of precious culinary gems - some classic, like wild Alaskan seafood, Washington berries and apples, and Oregon cheeses and hazelnuts, and others more recently polished to take their places in the repertoires of cooks - Oregon pinot noir, for one, and the only certified organic saké brewed in the US. Local chefs have been combining these flavors for years to excellent effect, but the simple tricks behind Northwest flavors have yet to make their way into the mainstream. For those for whom saké is a hot, acrid bit of exotica choked down as a gesture to tradition at late-night sushi bars, here is a revelation: the good stuff is smooth, complex, easily as varied as wine, and is best enjoyed chilled. It also makes a great cocktail, and can be used for a number of different cooking purposes. This simple marinade combines some of the more interesting flavors in Northwest cuisine, and works great with everything from wild salmon steaks and halibut to scallops or shrimp skewers.
1 cup soy sauce (lighter is better in this case, to reduce sodium and allow other flavors predominance - good quality soy sauce is worth the small price difference)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup saké - something on the sweeter end of the spectrum; use filtered saké - the cloudiness of nigori styles is less desirable for this application, (although it doesn’t hurt to experiment - there are locally-made flavored sakés that add an interesting dimension to this recipe, like “coconut lemongrass”)
3 or 4 large cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and minced
1 inch peeled fresh ginger, shredded or finely sliced
a handful of coarsely chopped cilantro
juice of 2 limes
optional: 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce, 3 T hot sauce (Sriracha, Tabasco, Habanero), ground cumin or anise, cracked black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Rinse the fish well under cold running water, then nestle the fish into the marinade, making sure the flesh is entirely covered. Refrigerate for 2-6 hours, turning the fish occasionally, then remove from marinade and bake or grill as desired. If you use an outdoor grill, reserve part of the marinade to pour over the fish as it cooks - be prepared for flames, but the flavor will be outstanding.
Scallops are the ravioli of seafood: two-bite sized, and deceptively rich.These are so good, you’ll want to keep eating well past full.This preparation is very quick, so be sure your sides are ready before you start.Garlic mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus with lemon are a nice addition, as is plain white rice seasoned with lemon zest and a roasted beet salad.
You will need:
4-6 large sea scallops per person, fresh or thawed
½ cup balsamic vinegar
2 T honey or 1 T brown sugar
olive oil
a handful of flour
salt and pepper
lemon wedges
1.In a heavy skillet, combine the vinegar, honey, and a healthy splash of olive oil.Whisk it together so that the honey is completely combined, and then allow it to thicken over medium heat, stirring frequently.The sauce should become very fragrant.Once it’s thickened, pour the sauce off into a bowl and set it aside.
2.Rinse the scallops under cold running water, then dust them with salt.Pour the flour onto a plate and lightly coat the scallops with the flour.
3.Add a splash of olive oil to the pan that you cooked the sauce in, and let it heat up.
4.Toss the scallops into the skillet and sautee until brown on the edges – not too long, or they’ll become rubbery.They should be hot clean through, but still tender and moist, and should cut easily in half with a fork.
5.Serve the scallops onto plates immediately, and drizzle with the balsamic glaze.Squeeze a wedge of lemon over each serving, and grind fresh black pepper over the top. Serve any leftover sauce on the side to pour over potatoes or rice.
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