“This is a great, easy recipe if you want to impress people at a dinner party. You can change up the ingredients with whatever vegetables are in season, and scallops are so effortless to cook,” says Michael England, executive chef at 22 West Tap & Grill in Bridgewater. “The dish always looks perfect. Pair it with a great cocktail like Smoked Bees Knees to give your guests an experience to remember.”
Check out the menu at 22westtapandgrill.com.
Ingredients
● 20 pieces U-10 scallops (U-10 means under 10 in a pound)
● 4 Yukon Gold potatoes
● ½ lb bacon
● 1 butternut squash
● 1 small red onion
● 1 red bell pepper
● 4 garlic cloves
● 1 bunch parsley
● 4 scallions
● 2 8 oz cans of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
● 3 tbs butter
● 12 tbsp oil (approximate)
● Salt and pepper
Method
Remove the small abductor muscle on the sides of the scallops, if not already removed, and clean the scallops. Pat dry and set aside.
For the Hash:
Set oven to 400° F.
Cut potatoes into small cubes, about ½ inch thick.
Put in a pot and cover with cold water. Boil potatoes until a fork goes in and comes out smooth.
Drain potatoes and let cool slightly.
Cut bacon into thin strips and slowly render in a sauté pan until crispy. Drain the bacon and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Once potatoes are slightly cooled, sauté them in about 4 tbsp of oil to get crispy, roughly 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. After the potatoes turn a golden brown color, add them to the mixing bowl with the bacon.
Peel and cube the butternut squash, toss in approximately 3 tbsp of oil and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Put the squash on a sheet pan and roast in the oven at 400° F for about 20 minutes until the squash is fork-tender.
Add squash to the bacon and potatoes.
Slice the red onion and bell pepper into strips and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Mince garlic and add it to the peppers and onions. After another 2 to 3 minutes, remove from the heat and transfer to the mixing bowl with the squash, potato and bacon.
Chop parsley and thinly slice scallions, adding them to the hash along with the drained and rinsed black-eyed peas, turning it into an herbaceous warm salad.
Searing the Scallops:
Season scallops with salt and pepper.
Set a large sauté pan on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the pan to expand and seal small scratches that would make the scallops stick.
Add 4 to 5 tbsp of oil to the pan.
Add scallops and allow them to sit until they turn golden brown on the edges. After 3 to 4 minutes, flip scallops and add 3 tbsp butter. Reduce heat to low for 2 minutes.
Top scallops on the warm hash.
Smoked Bees Knees
2 oz gin
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz honey simple syrup
Honeycomb and a charred lemon garnish
Finished with smoke from a cocktail smoker