Scallops and a Spanish White

Saturday always starts out early for us.  We headed to the downtown market by 8:15 a.m. to pick up some loose leaf lettuce, then to the seafood store to pick up scallops and shrimp and then to the gym to work with our trainer.  He works us hard but we really need it.

We had these scallops tonight in a recipe from Fine Cooking.  It was perfect with the loose leaf lettuce with a simple lemon and olive oil vinaigrette. 

Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Pan Sauce

1 lb. dry large sea scallops
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2 tbsp. finely diced shallot (we used scallions)
1/4 cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs, such as flat-leafed parsley and chives
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 lemon wedges for serving

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the oil and butter and heat until quite hot.  Pat the scallops dry once more time and put them in a single layer in the hot skillet.  Season with salt and pepper and sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp 2-3 minutes.  Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is well browned and the scallops are almost firm to the touch.  Take the pan off the heat and transfer scallops to a plate and let them sit in a warm spot.

Return the pan to the heat and add a piece of butter and the shallots and sautè until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute.  Add the vermouth or wine and simmer until reduced by about half, another minute or two.  Add the herbs and lemon zest.  Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining butter, whisking constantly until the butter melts into the sauce.  Return the scallops to the juices in the pan and gently roll them to cover with the sauce.  Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Last night we went to a wine tasting  of Spanish wines in Tampa.  We found a white wine we really liked.  Bodegas Shaya Verdejo 2009, was the perfect pairing for the scallops.  In fact, as we were tasting the wine, I told the server than this wine was "screaming for shrimp."  He laughed and used that phrase quite often after that until he had too many people asking where the shrimp were.

We did add 4 shrimp to the scallops tonight to just let the wine prove itself.  The experts, as in Robert Parker, say "This wine offers up an alluring aroma of baking spices, spring flowers and peach.  On the palate it has a creamy texture, vibrant acidity, and intense flavors leading to a lengthy, fruit-filled finish.  It is a great value in a dry, aromatic white wine, that over-delivers in a big way."  At $15.95, we found this wine a real pairing with the scallops (and few shrimp.)

We had to finish this off with a spectacular dessert.  Since dessert has not found our lips in a long time, this was quite the treat.  A dessert from Austria that I think you might like.  Check back  tomorrow to find out all about it.