Scallops Jalfrezi

Jalfrezi could be called the "leftover curry."  During the time of the British Raj, cookbooks included recipes for jalfrezi that consisted of sauteing or frying pieces of leftover meat or fish with onions and spices to produce a thick sauce.  The dish became very popular amongst the British in India during that time.  And, not unexpectedly, its popularity was exported back to the United Kingdom, where jalfrezi dishes are some of the most well liked dishes on the menu of Indian restaurants across the British Isles.

Prior to this recipe, I had never eaten a jalfrezi of any kind.  The most popular Indian recipe in the Chef Bolek household (or at least according to the Chef Bolek stomach) would be a Vindaloo or a Rogan Josh.  (It was very difficult to write that last sentence because, truth be told, I love just about all Indian food, except when it is based on ingredients that I don't like, such as spinach.) 

I came across a jalfrezi recipe in a cookbook when I was looking for a scallop recipe.  This recipe for Scallops Jalfrezi satisfied my objective for finding a dish incorporating scallops and, as a bonus, went straight to my love of Indian food.  So,  I decided to make the dish.  The only thing that was different is the use of the rice vermicelli, but that is only because I had some lying around that had to be used.  It seems only appropriate for a dish that was designed to use leftovers. 

SCALLOPS JALFREZI

Recipe from 660 Curries, pg. 281

(Serves 6)

Ingredients (for the curry):

1 pound of large sea scallops

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

2 teaspoons Balti masala (see below)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium size green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and

     cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1 medium sized tomato, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Ingredients (for the Balti masala):

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black or yellow mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds from black pods

1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds

3 fresh or dried bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks (each 3 inches long), broken into smaller pieces

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Make the Balti masala.  Preheat a small skillet over medium high heat.  Add the whole spices, reserving the cayenne and nutmeg) and toast, shaking the skillet every few seconds until the fennel, coriander and cumin turn reddish brown, the mustard, cloves and cardamom turn black, the cinnamon and bay leaves appear brittle and crinkly, and the mixture is highly fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.  The nigella will not turn color.  Immediately remove from the heat and transfer the spices to a plate to cool.  Once they are cooled, place the spices in a spice grinder and grind until the texture is like ground black pepper.

2.  Marinate the scallops.  Combine the scallops, ginger paste, garlic paste, 1 teaspoon of the masala and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium size bowl.  Toss to coat.  Refrigerate, covered, for about 30 minutes or as long as overnight to allow the flavors to mingle. 

3.  Saute the scallops.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the scallops, marinade and all, arranging them in a single layer, and sear them on their two broad sides until light brown, 3 to 5 minutes.  Transfer them to a plate.  

4.  Saute the vegetables.  Add the onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and cook until the vegetables start to turn light brown around their edges, about 5 to 8 minutes.

5.  Add the tomato sauce.  Add the tomato sauce and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until there is a light sheen of oil on the surface of the sauce, about 2 to 4 minutes. 

6.  Finish the dish.  Add the seared scallops (including any liquid) pooled on the plate, the tomato, cilantro and remaining 1 teaspoon of Balti masala.  Cover the skillet and simmer, basting the scallops with the sauce but not stirring too often, until the scallops are firm to the touch but not rubbery, 3 to 5 minutes.  Then serve. 

ENJOY!

Pan Seared Scallops with a Roasted Red Pepper Curry Coulis

My relationship with scallops as an ingredient has, historically, been a troubled one.  At times, I love the ingredient and think of various different ways to prepare this shellfish.  Those times often coincide with other inspirations and influences.  The results are dishes such as Seared Sea Scallops with Carrot-Orange Gastrique and Cauliflower Puree.  Then there are the periods where I hate scallops.  I see it on a menu and I keep looking.  When I am in the kitchen or my local grocery store, my mind races away from the ingredient, looking for substitutions or different recipes altogether.

Recently, I was inspired by my beautiful Angel to make a scallop dish.   I perused the Internet looking for recipe ideas and I came across the idea of scallops served with a red pepper coulis.  A coulis is a thick sauce made from fruits or vegetables.  The name itself comes from an old French word -- couleis -- which, in turn, comes from the Latin word -- colatus -- or "to strain."  The sauce is made by pureeing the fruit or vegetable and then passing it through a sieve or strainer.    The one coulis most often paired with scallops is a pepper coulis.  I found a recipe from a website, jessicagavin.com that for a roasted red pepper curried coulis.  Given my love for curry, this recipe seemed perfect.  I had my recipe - Pan Seared Scallops with a Roasted Red Pepper Curry Coulis.

Jessica Gavin happens to be a certified food scientist and her recipe included something else that interested me ... a step that called for brining the scallops.  This step originated with Thomas Keller, who has a recipe for Caramelized Sea Scallops in his cookbook, Ad Hoc At Home, that calls for the scallops to be brined before being seared. A brine for scallops is intriguing.  Like many seafood, scallops are notorious for how quickly they cook and for how absolutely horrible they are when overcooked.  The brine helps to provide some additional flavor to the scallops and also helps to firm the scallops' flesh.

These two new elements -- the  brining of the scallops and the use of a coulis -- have opened new doors for me, to say the least.  From now on, a brine will be a mandatory, preparatory step whenever I prepare scallops.  As for the coulis, the ease of making it means that I will be experimenting with this sauce, particularly on those evenings when I have less time to prepare a nice meal.  

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH 

A ROASTED RED PEPPER CURRY COULIS

Recipe adapted from one by Jessica Gavin

Serves 2

Ingredients (for the scallops):

1 pound of jumbo scallops, muscle removed (about 8 to 10 pieces)

3 tablespoons of grapeseed or olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sea salt, as needed

Freshly ground black pepper 

Micro-greens, for garnish

Ingredients (for the scallop brine):

1/2 cup kosher salt

1 cup hot water

4 cups cold water

Ingredients (for the Roasted Red Pepper Curry Coulis):

1 large red bell pepper (about 2/3 cup of roasted pepper)

1 tablespoon of grapeseed or olive oil

1 tablespoon of shallots, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon of curry powder

1 tablespoon of coconut milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Ingredients (for the Vegetable Stack):

1 eggplant, sliced
1 Yukon Gold potato, sliced
1 sweet onion sliced
Grapeseed or olive oil
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the coulis.  Roast the red peppers directly over a gas flame or under the broiler, turning occasionally until the peppers are blackened all over.  Transfer the pepper the pepper to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool completely.  Peel the pepper and discard the skin, seeds and core.  In a food processor or blender, combine the peppers with the oil, shallot, curry powder, coconut milk, salt and ginger.  Puree the coulis until very smooth and then strain through a sieve to remove air bubbles.  Season the coulis with additional salt if needed.  Set aside until ready to serve.

2.  Prepare the vegetable stock.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with a non-stick spray.  Place the sliced eggplants, potatoes and onions on a baking sheet.  Brush the vegetables with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked. 

3.  Brine the scallops.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the salt with boiling water, stirring to dissolve the salt.  Add ice water to cool the brine.  Add scallops to the brine and let stand for 10 minutes.  Drain the scallops, rinse under cold water and arrange in a single layer on a paper towel lined baking sheet.  Place a paper towel on top of the scallops and gently press to remove the additional moisture.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking.

4.  Sear the scallops.  Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke.  Sprinkle scallops lightly with salt and add them to the pan without crowding.  Cook the scallops without moving them, until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, about 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan.  Turn the scallops and caramelize the second side, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Lightly season with freshly ground black pepper.

5.  Plate the dish. Stack the vegetables, alternating eggplant, potato and onion.  Spoon the coulis over the vegetable stack and on the plate.  Place 2 scallops on top of the stack and 3-4 scallops on the plate.  Top with micro-greens. 

ENJOY!

Seared Sea Scallops with Carrot-Orange Gastrique and Cauliflower Puree

For my 40th birthday, a friend gave me a very special gift.  Knowing that I enjoy fine wine, he gave me a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin's La Grande Dame (1998).  He said that, in his opinion, La Grand Dame was the best French Champagne, with perfect strands of bubbles.  My friend gave me the wine with one "condition," that I enjoy the wine rather than simply storing it in my basement or a cellar.   After thanking him profusely, I said that I should have no problem with that "condition."  I had immediately planned on sharing it with my beautiful Angel, Clare.

Soon thereafter, I began thinking about whether I could pair the La Grande Dame with  food.  In particular, I wanted to make a special dish that could be presented with the wine.  I began to research possible pairings with cuisines and ingredients.   I found a web post called Brigadoon with Bubbles: A Veuve Cliquot Brunch.  The author/blogger described a multiple course brunch that was paired with Veuve Cliquot wines.  The one dish that caught my attention was the Scallop, Orange and Carrot Gastrique with a Parmesan Pancetta Crisp.  That dish was specifically paired with the La Grande Dame (1998).  According to the writer, "the pairing worked beautifully."  So, I had my recipe.  The only problem was that I did not have a recipe.  The author/blogger only described eating the dish, not how the dish was prepared.

I now had a challenge ... to create a recipe based solely on the name of the dish.   The name has three components ... scallops, a carrot/orange gastrique and the Parmesan pancetta crisp.  Given Clare does not eat meat, I decided to forgo the Parmesan pancetta crisp.  I also decided to replace that component with a cauliflower puree.  The puree would give me a base upon which the scallops could be placed.  As for the remaining components, the scallops had to be seared and I had to make a carrot and orange gastrique. 

I now had a problem ... I had never made a gastrique before.  Generally speaking, a gastrique is a sauce made from caramelized sugar that is deglazed with vinegar.  It is a combination of sweet and sour (or tart), that is often enhanced with other flavor components, such as fresh fruit, herbs or, in my case, carrot and orange juice.  I dutifully studied "how-to-make gastrique" pages in preparation for making this dish.  And, although I wanted to do a couple "test-runs," I decided that I would go ahead and make it for the pairing.  Truth be told, I really wanted to try the La Grande Dame and, given the fact that I have not been cooking as much as I used to, I did not want to have to wait for the opportunities to try making gastriques.

In the end, everything worked out well, with one exception.  The scallops seared well, the gastrique was very good, and the puree, which Clare made, was very good.  That last bit is significant because I am not a fan of cauliflower, but Clare did a great job.  The one thing I need to work on, as you can see from the picture below, is my presentation.  Well, I guess I need to have something to work on....

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH CARROT-ORANGE GASTRIQUE

AND CAULIFLOWER PUREE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients (for the Sea Scallops):

About 1 pound of sea scallops

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for the Carrot-Orange Gastrique):

1/2 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of water

1 pound of carrots

1 orange (Valencia)

2 cups water
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar

Ingredients (for the Cauliflower Puree)

2 pounds of cauliflower

1/4 cup of skim milk

3 tablespoons of utter

Garlic powder

Directions:
1.  Prepare the Carrot-Orange Juice.  Rinse the carrots and cut into pieces.  Puree the carrots in a food processor or a blender.  Add a tablespoon of water if the carrots are a little dry.  Remove the carrot puree to a large bowl and add two cups of hot water.  Let it the puree sit and steep for fifteen to thirty minutes.  Then strain the puree and set aside the juice.  Add the juice of one orange to the carrot juice.  Stir the juices and set aside.

2.  Prepare the Cauliflower Puree.  Steam the cauliflower florets in a steamer for about twenty to twenty-five minutes.  Remove the florets and place in a blender.  Add the butter and milk.  Blend the cauliflower until it is a smooth puree.

3.  Prepare the gastrique.  Add the sugar and water to a small, non-reactive saucepan.  Heat the mixture over medium high heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to bubble.  Watch the sugar mixture very carefully as it begins to caramelize.  You want to the mixture to have a nice golden color.  Once that color is achieved, add the vinegar.  Do not add it in a slow stream; add the vinegar quickly.  The sugar will harden, but it dissolve again as the mixture cooks.  Once the sugar has re-dissolved, add the carrot/orange juice.  Begin by adding one-half cup.  Taste the mixture to determine its tartness.  Keep adding the carrot/orange juice until you have added at most two cups.  If the mixture is still too tart, you can add a little more sugar.  Once you have the taste you want, continue to cook the gastrique until it is reduced and thickens a little.

4.  Sear the scallops.  Heat the oil on high heat in a pan.  Add the scallops and cook on high heat for about four or five minutes (depending upon the size of the scallops).  Flip the scallops and continue to cook about three to four minutes more.

5.  Plate the dish.  Spoon the cauliflower puree on the center of the dish. Plate four to five scallops over the puree.  Spoon the gastrique over the scallops and around the sides of the puree.

In the end, this was a great dish.  I will definitely make it again.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

This dish was made for a special wine, Veuve Cliquot Ponsardin's La Grande Dame (1998), so I highly recommend that wine as the natural pairing for this dish.  However, it is a very expensive wine, so if you do not want to spend that much money on a wine, consider a French Champagne or sparkling wine.

ENJOY!

Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Root Vegetable Puree

This dish represents a first for me ... a challenge to create a dish specifically to pair to a beer. The beer is the New Belgium Brewing Company's Grand Cru Abbey Ale.  After reviewing the brewer's website and perusing the recommended food pairing, there was something that caught my eye.  Roasted vegetables.  Those two words started the creative process.  Carrots, garlic, leeks, onions, radishes.  There were a lot of choices when it comes to ingredients.  Ultimately, I decided on a selection of root vegetables -- carrots, leeks and radishes -- along with some vegetables that I had lying around the kitchen, like onions and garlic.

There were also choices when it came to preparation.  While I had been thinking about the ingredients, I chose scallops as the protein.  The question then became: how do I "pair" the vegetables to the scallops?  I had to answer this question before I could ultimately pair the dish with the beer.  I decided that the roast the vegetables and then puree them to the something that approached the consistency of mashed potatoes.

So, in the end, I had Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Root Vegetable Puree.  The dish turned out well, the pureeing of the different root vegetables resulted in an interesting texture for the puree.  This texture could be smoothed out for people who like things like smooth mashed potatoes, by the addition of a couple of tablespoons of milk or heavy cream.  Since I like my mashed potatoes with some texture, I did not add anything to the puree, other than some coriander and toasted whole cloves, which tied the dish together with the beer

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLE PUREE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients:
8 bay scallops  
1 bunch of carrots (approximately 8 carrots)
1 bunch of radishes (approximately 10 radishes)
2 leeks
1/2 sweet onion
6 cloves of garlic, roasted
8 cloves, toasted
1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme chopped
Handful of thyme sprigs
3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Roast the vegetables.  Cut the root vegetables (leek, radishes, carrots, onion) into even size pieces.  Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Add the thyme sprigs.  Mix the vegetables so that all are well covered with the oil, salt and pepper.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Roast the vegetables in the oven for about thirty minutes. 

2.  Make the puree.  Remove the vegetables and add to a blender.  Toast the cloves in a dry pan until fragrant and add them to the blender with the coriander. Puree the vegetables, spoon into a bowl and cover. 

3.  Saute the scallops.  Heat the 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on high heat.  Add the scallops and sear on one side for about eight minutes.  Flip and continue to cook until the other side begins to develop some color, about four to five minutes more depending upon the size of the scallops. 

4.  Plate the dish.  Plate the roasted root vegetable puree in the middle of the plate and place four scallops on the puree.  Sprinkle some of the chopped thyme and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Vieiras con Albariño (Scallops with Albariño Wine)

For my birthday, my beautiful Angel, Clare, bought me the cookbook from Made in Spain, the show on the Public Broadcasting System hosted by local chef celebrity Jose Andres. I wanted to make a dinner for her using recipes from this book.  I chose two recipes, one of which was Vieiras con Albariño or Scallops with Albariño Wine.

The preparation of this dish is rather straightforward.  The first step is to prepare the marinade mixture.  Spoon a tablespoon or two of the mixture onto scallop shells, and perch a lightly breaded scallop on top. Place the scallop under the broiler until it is cooked and the breading is browned.

The only difficulty that could arise from making this dish is if you do not have scallop shells.  I had a couple scallop shells that I bought a while back.  They were serviceable, but not perfect.  As a suggestion for those who may not have scallop shells, I would put the breaded scallops on a baking sheet and broil them separately from the onion mixture, which should be kept warm in the pan.  Then you can plate the mixture on a small plate and top it with the cooked scallop.

VIEIRAS CON ALBARINO (SCALLOPS WITH ALBARINO WINE)

From Jose Andres, Made in Spain at 156

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
     (Spanish olive oil is suggested, but Italian or Greek works well too)
1 cup diced onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Albariño wine, plus 2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon of finely chopped jamon
     (if you cannot find jamon, you can use proscuitto)
2 teaspoons of fresh flat leaf parsley
Sea Salt, to taste
8 scallops
3 tablespoons of fresh bread crumbs
     (if you do not have fresh bread crumbs, you can use panko bread crumbs)

Directions:

1. Prepare the onion mixture.  Heat the olive oil in a pan over low heat.  Add the onions and cook until golden brown, which should take about thirty minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the wine and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the wine is a deep golden brown.  Set aside and allow to cool.  Add the ham and parsley and season to taste with salt. 

2.  Cook the scallops.  Preheat the broiler. Using scallop shells, place about 1 tablespoon of the onion mixture on each shell and sprinkle with salt.  Divide the scallops amongst the shells and sprinkle with the remaining wine and cover with breadcrumbs.  Drizzle with olive oil and broil until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown and the scallops are cooked.  This should take about two to four minutes.  Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve immediately.

ENJOY!

Lobstercake Sandwiches

Lobster burgers.  For foodies who live in the D.C. area, thoughts turn to the dish made "famous" by D.C. Chef Michel Richard at his restaurant Central in downtown D.C.  I can remember the first time (and, in fact, the only time) that I had the lobster burger at Central.  The burger was exquisite, big chunks of lobster meat held together by the most minimalist of binding.  I enjoyed every bite of that burger, and, I have always wanted to recreate that burger at home.

This recipe is NOT the recipe for Michel Richard's lobster burger.  First, that recipe calls for the use of fresh lobster.  Two pounds of meat from fresh lobsters costs a lot of money.  So, I substituted meat from frozen lobster claws and joints.  This probably had an impact on the preparation of the burgers.  Second, I could not get the mix to the right consistency.  The mix was too soupy, preventing the lobster from binding properly into a burger shape.  In an effort to save the dish, I decided to add bread crumbs.  The additional ingredient turned what was supposed to be a lobster burger into something more like a crabcake.  A "lobstercake," if you will.

My lobster burger - turned - lobster cake still turned out well.  Well enough, at least, for me to post the recipe.  I have to admit that I do not necessarily intend to make this dish again.  My future efforts will be aimed at recreating Michel Richard's lobster burgers.  That said, when my best efforts go awry, then I will make more lobster cakes and enjoy them immensely. 

LOBSTERCAKE SANDWICHES

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
2 pounds of lobster meat (frozen lobster meat, thawed)
     (use fresh lobster meat if you have it)
1 large tomato, cut into slices
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 pound of scallops
2 tablespoons of milk
1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of fresh cilantro, chopped finely
Ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Make the lobstercakes.  In a food processor, puree the scallops for a few seconds until smooth.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of milk.  Add the garlic powder, ground black pepper and salt.  Fold the scallop mixture into the lobster.  Add the bread crumbs and mix thoroughly.  Make two patties and put them in the refrigerator.

2.  Saute the lobstercakes.  Heat the olive oil in a pan.  Remove the patties from the refrigerator and when the oil is hot, add the patties.  Cook the patties for five minutes on each side (just long enough to cook the scallops used in the binding.

ENJOY!

Roasted Red Chili Seafood Stir Fry with Lime Jasmine Rice

I planned on making a red curry one night except I inadvertently bought a jar of roasted red chili paste rather than the red curry paste.  So, I improvised and the curry turned into a stir-fry.  I used the roasted red chili paste in this dish and combined it with some sweet curry powder.  The end result is rather tasty.

This is a mixed seafood stir fry so, really, anything goes.  Having made a lot of fish recently, I decided that I would stick to other seafood, such as scallops, squid and shrimp.  The key to this dish, which is the key to any mixed seafood dish, is timing.  Scallops take longer than squid.  Both scallops and squid take longer than shrimp.  The size of the seafood can further change all of the cooking times.  The times in this recipe are approximate.  Cooking seafood is best done with your eyes, watching the seafood go from their "translucent" state to opaque.  When you see that start to happen, add the next seafood. 

ROASTED RED CHILI SEAFOOD STIR FRY WITH LIME JASMINE RICE

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients (for the rice):
1 cup of jasmine rice
2 limes
Zest from one of the limes
2 cups of water

Ingredients for the stir fry:
1/2 pound of cleaned squid
1/2 pound of 16-20 count shrimp, shelled and deveined
4-6 sea scallops
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 green pepper, sliced thinly
2 cloves of garlic, diced
3 teaspoons of roasted red chili paste
2 teaspoons of sweet curry powder
4 tablespoons of canola oil
1 heirloom tomato, sliced into quarters or eighths

Directions:

1.  Make the rice.  Pour the rice in the bowl.  Take one lime and squeeze the juice over the rice, making sure that the rice absorbs the lime.  Heat the water on high.  Once the water begins to boil, add the rice and juice from the second lime.  Reduce the heat and cook until the rice absorbs the water.

2.  Cook the vegetables.  Heat the oil in a wok on medium high.  Add the shallots, green pepper and garlic.  Add two of the teaspoons of roasted red chili paste and one teaspoon of sweet curry powder.  Saute for five to seven minutes until the vegetables are well cooked.

3.  Cook the scallops and squid.  Move the vegetables to the side of the wok, but keep the oil on the other side.  Turn up the heat a little. Add the scallops and cook until the scallops begin to become opaque and browned on the bottom, which should take four to five minutes.   Flip the scallops and then add the squid.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of the red chili paste and 1/2 teaspoon of the sweet curry powder.  Stir to mix the paste and powder amongst the scallops and squid.  Continue to cook the scallops and squid, stirring and flipping the squid to make sure that it is cooked on all sides. 

4.  Add shrimp and tomatoes.  When the squid becomes opaque, which should be about another five to six minutes, add the shrimp and heirloom tomatoes.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of the red chili paste and 1/2 teaspoon of the sweet curry powder.  Stir to mix the paste and powder amongst the seafood ingredients.    Add 1/2 teaspoon of the red chili paste and 1/2 teaspoon of the sweet curry powder.  Continue to cook until the shrimp becomes opaque.  Stir all of the vegetables with the seafood.

5.  Plate the dish. Plate the rice in the center and spoon the seafood over the rice.  You could also place the rice to one side and spoon the seafood on the other side.  Garnish with the lime zest.

For a dish that I created on the fly, this turned out fairly well. The roasted red chili paste and the sweet curry powder blended well together.  The different seafood worked well together as well.  I liked the green pepper in the dish, but I think other vegetables may also work well.  I would suggest a crisp white wine, such as a Riesling or Pinot Grigio for this dish.

ENJOY!

Risotto dello Zafferano con il Calamaro ed i Pettini

For her birthday, my beautiful Angel, Clare, wanted me to make her a special dinner.  I had thought about a  lot of dishes that I wanted to make for her, but, I ultimately decided to make a special version of the Seafood Risotto recipe.  For this risotto, I chose to use saffron, along with squid and scallops.  

The recipe is basically the same as the Seafood Risotto recipe.  The only difference is that I only used the squid and scallops.  The key is to make sure that all the scallops are the same size and that the pieces of squid are about the same size.  This make sure that the seafood cooks evenly. 

RISOTTO DELLO ZAFFERANO CON IL CALAMARO ED I PETTINI
A Chef Bolek Original
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 cups of seafood stock
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of white wine
1 pinch of saffron
1/2 pound of cleaned squid (both bodies and tentacles)
1/2 pound of scallops
1 1/2 cups of arborio rice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 sweet or Vidalia onion, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Oregano, to taste
Salt, to taste
Parsley, chopped
Several leaves of basil
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Directions:

1.  In a pot, heat the seafood stock and water to a simmer.  Keep stock warm over low heat.

2.  In another pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic.  Saute the onion and garlic for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the rice and stir the rice so that the rice is covered by the olive oil.  Add the white wine and cook until the wine is almost absorbed, stirring often for a couple of minutes.

3.  Stir in 1 cup of warm stock and the pinch of saffron.  Simmer slowly and stir often until the liquid is almost absorbed.  Adjust the heat of necessary so that the stock does not evaporate too quickly.

4.  Continue adding stock either by 1/2 cup or 1 cup amounts, stirring continuously until the stock is absorbed.  When there is about 1 cup of stock left, add the scallops and stir with another 1/2 cup of stock.

5.  By this time, the rice should be creamy in consistency and cooked al dente (firm to the bite) and seafood should be partially cooked.  Slice the bodies of the squid into pieces that are roughly the same size.  Add the squid  and cook for a couple of minutes until it is opaque.  Remove from heat, add butter and stir well.  Also add pepper to taste.

6.  Serve in bowls. Place a couple of basil leaves on the risotto and sprinkle some of the parsley over the risotto.  Also, sprinkle grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired.

ENJOY!

Seafood Risotto

Those who know me know that I cooked at a seafood restaurant during college.  I hated the job and, after I quit for law school, I basically stopped cooking.  My culinary renaissance came when I took a vacation in Italy that was coordinated by the Smithsonian Institution.  Led by a local chef, who was born in Tuscany, the trip took a group of us through Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, where we learned not only about how food was made, but we also got to see demonstrations of how it should be prepared.  Upon returning from this vacation, I renewed my interest in cooking.  I decided to focus on one cuisine, so that I learn the ingredients, cooking techniques and the presentation. I chose Italian cuisine, for obvious reasons.

There are few dishes more quintessentially Italian than risotto.  Arabs brought the short-grained rice to Sicily and Spain during the 14th century.  However, as for the origins of the dish known as "risotto," that is the stuff of legend.  More specifically, during the construction of the Duomo di Milano, an apprentice glassmaker named Valeris had the task of making the glass for the dome.  The townsfolk in Milan teased Valerius about his work, placing the credit for the vibrant glass on his use of saffron rather than his talents.  Tired of the teasing, Valerius decided to play a prank on the townspeople who were gathered for his master's wedding.  Valerius added large amounts of saffron to the rice prepared for the meal at the wedding.  Far from a prank, the townspeople loved the rice dish, which became what we know to be risotto.  (For those who want to learn more, you can check out this website and this other website.)

Setting the legends aside, the reality is that risotto is a blank canvas, which a cook can use to make a work of culinary art.  The canvas is arborio rice.  The cook can add a variety of broths or stocks (beef, chicken, vegetable or seafood), wines and a variety of meats, seafood and/or vegetables, along with a variety of herbs and spices.  I've made a few different risottos and, over time, I intend to post the recipes for those risottos on my blog.  For now, I'll start at the beginning, because all of my risottos flow from a basic recipe that I found in a cookbook that is far from Italian -- the Pike's Place Seafood Cookbook.  The cookbook contains a recipe for Shellfish Risotto.  True to form, I've never followed the recipe to the letter; instead, I use it as a guide.  And, with that guide, I produced what I consider to be my first true work of culinary art.

SEAFOOD RISOTTO
Adapted from the Pike's Place Seafood Cookbook at 113-114
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 cups of seafood stock
2 cups of water
1/2 cup of white wine
1/2 pound of shelled and deveined shrimp (get the largest count available)
1/4 pound of cleaned squid
1/2 pound of halibut
1 1/2 cups of arborio rice
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 sweet or Vidalia onion, minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
Oregano, to taste
Salt, to taste
Several leaves of basil
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Directions:

1.  In a sauce pan, heat the seafood stock and water to a simmer.  Keep stock warm over low heat.

2.  In another pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic.  Saute the onion and garlic for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the rice and stir the rice so that the rice is covered by the olive oil.  Add the white wine and cook until the wine is almost absorbed, stirring often for a couple of minutes.

3.  Stir in 1 cup of warm stock.  Simmer slowly and stir often until the liquid is almost absorbed.  Adjust the heat of necessary so that the stock does not evaporate too quickly.

4.  Continue adding stock either by 1/2 cup or 1 cup amounts, stirring continuously until the stock is absorbed.  When there is about 1 cup of stock left, add the halibut and the shrimp and continue and stir with another 1/2 cup of stock.

5.  By this time, the rice should be creamy in consistency and cooked al dente (firm to the bite) and seafood should be partially cooked.  Add the squid  and cook for a couple of minutes until it is opaque.  Remove from heat, add butter and stir well.  Also add oregano, basil and pepper to taste.

6.  Serve in bowls.  Chiffonade the basil and sprinkle over the risotto.  Also, sprinkle grated Parmigiano Reggiano if desired.

ENJOY!