January 22            #631                            Scallops

            Scallops are one of the tastiest shellfish going, provided you get ahold of some good ones.  Bad scallops can make you swear them off forever, but a good one is a joy.
The secret is to shop for "dry pack" scallops, which have no added water.  The kind you want are known as "diver sea scallops", literally harvested by divers.  Jerry loves Maine scallops, and prefers the big "U-10's" (under 10 per pound) which are super.
            Scallops should smell totally fresh, with a slight, almost cereal-like aroma.  If they are swimming in a milky juice, that's OK, but good dry packed scallops will have very little, if any.  Any fishy, or iodine smell is a bad indicator, and you should avoid them.
            Here's a recipe derived from Chef John Shields, of Gertrude's at the BMA.   His book "Coastal Cooking" is a treasure of fine seafood recipes.

                                    Seared Scallops with Fennel and Polenta
                                             Inspired by Chef John Shields

8 plump U-10 sized scallops
olive oil
1 large or two medium fennel bulbs (save the fronds for garnish) cut into julienne strips
1 large shallot, peeled and minced
1-1 ½ cups dry white wine
1 tbs ground ginger
1 tsp ground fennel powder
salt to taste
1 cup orange juice
2 tbs unsalted butter
16-20 mandarin orange sections
2 cups creamy parmesan polenta
            (sautéed diced onions, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 cup fine ground corn meal,
            2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.  Sauté the onions, add broth and bring
            to a boil, add corn meal slowly and stir to eliminate lumps.  To keep it creamy
            you can add a little milk at the end.  Stir in the cheese and serve.)

1.  Sear the scallops in a deep sided skillet in a little olive oil.  They should be cooked through.  Remove from heat, and keep warm.
2.  In the same pan, sauté the shallots in a little more oil, until they are translucent.  Add the white wine, bring to a boil, and add the shallots.  Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook the fennel.  Stir frequently, and allow most of the liquid to evaporate.  Fennel should be soft but slightly crisp.  Add 1 tsp ground fennel powder and 1 tbs ground ginger, and a little sea salt to taste.
3.  Add just enough orange juice to dampen the fennel…not too much.  Continue to simmer over medium heat until the juice cooks down.  Add the oranges, and mix in well, taking care not to let them get too hot or fall apart.  Remove from heat, drain the fennel, and retain the cooking liquid.  In a separate sauce pan, further reduce the cooking liquid to about ½ a cup.  Mount with a little butter and keep warm.
4.  Put a small mound of polenta on a plate, and surround it with the fennel.  Place two of the scallops (kept warm!) on top of the polenta, and garnish with an upright sprig of fennel frond.  Drizzle some of the sauce over the scallops and polenta.  Serve immediately.

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