Food Trend: Anything Thai
My Adaptation: I’m really into “Asian” flavors and I’ve been wanting to make a Thai Coconut Sauce for a while. I wanted a bright, fresh dish that raised the bar on a “white” scallop in a light sauce. Shelling peas, Orange Cauliflower & Sweet Corn were the “pop” I needed to make a delicious dish beautiful. Oh and I wanted to be all fancy and pour my sauce a la minute. *Note to self, pouring sauce & Instagram Video-ing at the same time is not a good idea.
My Inspiration: As a birthday gift, David and I told our friend Jamie that we would cook for him and his wife Lexi. I asked him for a week straight what he wanted. In the end (4pm day of), he told me to choose. The link for the recipe happened to be on one of my internet tabs and that was going to be our dinner! Of course, going to the Union Square Green Market realized conceptualized the dish!
Some photos
The best part of this dish is the smell of this fragrant broth!
I tried to capture pouring the sauce a la minute! There is a great video on instagram.
Here is a before-and-after shot!
Thai Lemongrass Scallops
2013-08-26 17:56:40
Serves 4
Thai Lemongrass Broth with Scallops, Shelling Peas, Sweet Corn & Orange Cauliflower
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
25 sprigs cilantro
zest and juice of 1 lime
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 pounds fresh sea scallops
2 stalks lemongrass
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 cup chicken stock, homemade or good-quality store bought
1 cup lite coconut milk
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions or chives
cooked white or basmati rice or vegetables for serving
Wash & Dry Scallops (Wet scallops won't sear)
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the remaining shallots and slowly sauté until they are caramelized — richly browned but not burned. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and stir for about 1 minute.
Add the lemongrass and fish sauce to the pan and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, then pour in the stock, lime juice & zest, and cilantro (10 leaves tied together with twine). Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for about 5 minutes longer. Drain the sauce in a chinois (or mesh strainer) then set the sauce aside and keep it warm.
Place a large skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then coat the surface with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, gently add the scallops to the skillet without crowding them; sear the scallops in two batches if necessary. Cook the scallops on one side for about 2 minutes, or until they are browned. Do not move them about or the searing process will be affected. Turn the scallops over and cook for 2 more minutes.
To serve, portion and plate scallops. Then garnish the bowl with your fresh vegetables & cilantro sprig. Pour some of the warm sauce onto individual plates a la minute (your guests will be very impressed with this fancy plating) garnish with the scallions and place the rice to the side.
This sauce is amazing, and you will want either rice or bread to soak it up!
When choosing a veg, think color. Scallops on a plate tend to be very white.
MY SIDES: I bought fresh shelling peas, sweet corn & orange cauliflower from the Farmers Market. I roasted the cauliflower in EVOO, Garlic, Salt & Fresh Thyme for 40 mintues at 375. I sauteed the corn and peas for about 3 minutes in EVOO while the scallops were cooking. You don't need to overcook fresh peas or corn!
Adapted from
Food Republic
Adapted from Food Republic
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