Sea Scallops Poached in Pink Broth

Chanterelles

This dish is our version of a French "Mariniere" preparation, but uses sparkling wine instead of white wine as a poaching broth with the addition of mushrooms and tomatoes. The result is more rustic, but also yields a more textured, richly-flavored broth to spoon around the scallops (and to sop up with crusty bread). It may be less elegant than the classic Parisian version, but it is definitely better suited to relaxed dining at home.

The prep time for this dish is about 20 minutes and the scallops turn opaque within 2 minutes, so be ready to serve immediately.

Serves: 3-4
Time: 20 min. prep, 5 min. cooking - serve immediately

Ingredients:

2 tbs. unsalted butter

1 lg. shallot, minced

½ cup dry sparkling wine or Prosecco

2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, peeled (see method below), seeded and chopped

1 fresh bay leaf, sliced thin

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

2 large chantarelles or bluefoot mushrooms, chopped

½-¾ cup A & V Lobster Stock (available in our freezer case)

4 large basil leaves sliced into a chiffonade (roll leaves up together into a cylinder and cross-cut julienne)

12-16 oz. sea scallops, rinsed and dried well

Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

1. Peel tomato: plunge into boiling water for 10 seconds, then run under cold water while peeling to remove skin. Once peeled, seed and chop the tomato, and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet over high heat. Add shallot, lower heat to medium and cook for 1 ½ minutes, until shallot is softened.
3. Add sparkling wine and turn heat back up to high. Let liquid reduce by half, about 1 ½ minutes more. Add tomato, bay leaf, rosemary, mushrooms and fish stock and reduce heat to medium again. Cover pan so juices don’t evaporate but remove every now then to smash tomatoes down with the back of a fork. Cook 3 minutes more.
4. Add basil and cook another minute with the cover on. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper and add to pan. Cook in broth two minutes or so without turning over, until edges of scallops just start to split. Serve right from the skillet, spooning juices on top.