# What's On Your Menu? - Topic: Scallops - August 2014



## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

In the very (very) early days of ChefTalk we had a cool feature that was actually called The Chef's Forum. We picked a topic each month and actually emailed, phoned, and spoke face to face with local chefs and many abroad on what their current preparation was of the topic we choose. It actually looked like this:




  








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nicko


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Aug 1, 2014






Old timers at ChefTalk like @Pete @Jim Berman @kuan @Greg will probably recall this. It was a great feature and a number of chefs commented on how it help give them new ideas for their menus. So I have thought for a long time we should resurrect this part of ChefTalk. You might notice if you are ever wander into the non-pro forums they have a monthly challenge which is similar. This is not a challenge it is a sharing of ideas.

So if your up for it here is how it works:

If you like post the name of your restaurant, hotel, business etc (you may also include a link to your work place).
You can post your current preparation or one from a previous menu that you are proud of. Don't post a recipe just a bit of detail on how you came up with it and what inspired you.
Lastly, be respectful of others ideas.
[h2]This month's topic is Scallops[/h2]



  








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nicko


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Aug 1, 2014


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

First off, demand "dry pack" scallops from your vendor.  Dry packed scallops haven't been treated with chemicals to make them creamy white, but who cares if they aren't perfectly white, the flavor is 100 times better and you get a better sear from dry packed scallops.

One of my favorite ways of serving them came during my time at NAVA, in Atlanta where we served them on a bed of smoked tomato grits, with a ginger butter sauce and sautéed spinach.


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

We do a seared scallop with almond/white gazpacho, grapes, marcona almonds, blanched celery, and a celery leaf/herb salad. It's beautiful and delicious, also refreshing and perfect for summer.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Here is a couple of ways that I have done them in the past.

Scallops dusted with togarashi, pan seared and topped with a watermelon radish, almond, nashi pear relish and served with a dulse vinaigrette

Scallops dusted with a mix of ground lavender and Szechuan peppercorns, pan seared and served with a pomegranate ponzu sauce


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

cheflayne said:


> Here is a couple of ways that I have done them in the past.
> 
> Scallops dusted with togarashi, pan seared and topped with a watermelon radish, almond, nashi pear relish and served with a dulse vinaigrette


Layne got me intrigued as well as my mouth watering.

That sounds delicious.

Sadly i already ate dinner, ramen <_< boohoo /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

I had to google togarashi... sounds awesome. 
Chef where I'm at now is doing seared scallops on top of fried green tomatoes with remoulade and a little arugula salad. Looks freaking good; i don't really eat shellfish anymore.


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Nicko, great thing! We post it here? Couldn't find another spot so.........please move if not correct.

Not sure where these would stand today but they did fairly well 15-20 years ago. I served a Blackened Scallops appetizer/salad. I came up with it from a similar appetizer served a couple years earlier that was in my opinion too mundane but the owners wanted it. That was simply blackened scallops with mashed potatoes, owners get what owners want.

Anyhow, I was hoping to make it a bit more appetizing than that. The new version was basically sea scallops cooked in my blackening seasoning and butter and a salad of house mixed field greens (I hated the premixed stuff) tossed with a Cajun vinaigrette and some garnishes. The dressing was very simple too. Same blackened seasoning, fresh-made mayo, creole mustard, wine vinegar and a touch of Cabernet. The scallops were presented on a nest of crisped potato straws that was set in the center of the greens. It was all garnished with crisped prosciutto.

I had the same thought for a Pac-rim fusion influenced salad from a Blackened Ahi appetizer I served. Basically, that was the trend at the time. It was almost the same as the Cajun salad but substituted a citrus ginger vinaigrette for the Cajun vinaigrette, crisp noodles for the potato straws and wasabi toasted almonds for the prosciutto.


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## durangojo (Jul 30, 2007)

I hesitated to post these photos as i can find 10 things i i would change but the scallops were magnificent, so here goes....
Last night's special....seared sea scallops(U10's and 12's) with a roasted poblano sauce, fresh black bean ravioli and roasted corn relish.....sold 1 1/2 gallons....big for us!





  








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durangojo


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Aug 5, 2014







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At home tonight...seared sea scallops picatta style





  








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durangojo


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Aug 5, 2014


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

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cape chef


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Aug 6, 2014








Seared Maine sea scallops topped with a gratin of coral butter and a spring vegetable lobster nage


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## chefchadnyc (Jan 20, 2013)

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chefchadnyc


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Aug 14, 2014








The menu lists it as:

Sea scallops, pork belly, white asparagus, string beans, fava beans, apricot sauce

Sea scallops are as close to local as I can get (new jersey U10s)

Pork belly brought in whole, brined, braised, pressed, cut, seared

White asparagus, haricot vert, green wax, yellow wax, fava bean, sauteed in pork belly fat, deglazed with bacon brodo with a hint of lemon oil

Apricot beurre blanc

Pea Tendrils

@*ChefChadBrown* #*mydayinfood* pic.twitter.com/tkBJrwB5MH


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

Nicko, what is the choice for September?


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## karnaf (Jun 15, 2008)

Hello CHEFS,

I'm about to start a new menu, got stuck with a scallop dish... i'm just debating either to pair scallops and chocolate with  some mexican flare so it won't be over sweet.

i've tried it one night and its delicious!!! 

might use bacon in the dish also...

whats your take on that?


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## youngchefkarl (Dec 12, 2013)

Karnaf said:


> Hello CHEFS,
> 
> I'm about to start a new menu, got stuck with a scallop dish... i'm just debating either to pair scallops and chocolate with some mexican flare so it won't be over sweet.
> 
> ...


Perhaps you could cocoa dust the scallops and serve them on a pico de gallo/corn salsa with cilantro. Or maybe that's too simple? Or you could do a chipotle chocolate sauce with a different dish with scallops.


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

I feel like mole would go well with scallops concerning this topic. Maybe with sofrito


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## spoiledbroth (Sep 25, 2014)

youngchefkarl said:


> Or you could do a chipotle chocolate sauce with a different dish with scallops.


Am I the only one who finds this whole savoury chocolate entree or starter a real faux pas?


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## youngchefkarl (Dec 12, 2013)

SpoiledBroth said:


> Am I the only one who finds this whole savoury chocolate entree or starter a real faux pas?


Probably.


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## spoiledbroth (Sep 25, 2014)

It just strikes me as being a really "unoriginal original" flavour profile; is the chocolate really the star in that sauce? It's never really turned my crank, and I've had real mole poblano... Mole is not a chocolate sauce. I am not unfamiliar with using chocolate to accentuate flavour, but as the predominant flavour in an entree? I have some serious doubts about how overpowering those sauces are held against the choice of protein. Don't I want to taste chicken? Scallops? Just my 2 cents. Not trying to attack anybody's philosophy or style of cooking!


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## karnaf (Jun 15, 2008)

Its not like i'm gonna cover the scallops with chocolate....just to add another aspect to the dish..you can still be able to taste scallops

menu is very versatile.

I Will use micro cilantro for garnish just need something to compliment the scallops as a base to the dish.

Thank you chefs!


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

Okay so mole is not specifically a chocolate sauce per se, at least it's no ganache, but it is one of the key flavors and easily detectable. So working with a savory item I personally feel it's a great medium. And by no means am I talking about dunking the scallops in them I was more thinking of a swoosh on the plate or something. I ran a mole (with chocolate in it) dusted venison lollipop over a small bed of three sisters (squash, corn, bl. Beans) that sold remarkably well and got great reviews. I agree that in my mind at first I hear Choco/ savory I recoil but that's no faux pas. It's inability to think so far outside if the box. I friend sous from another restaurant just went to the James beard foundation dinner here and said one of the strangest dishes was out up : a uni cheesecake with seaweed and a ponzu sauce. Turns out it was one of the favorites there. Break the mold Karnaf, and tell us how it goes


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## karnaf (Jun 15, 2008)

Ok.. so after trying that dish with dark chocolate and some kick , I thought to  myself  why not trying it with white chocolate!?

white chocolate incorporate into beurre blanc? sure why not, try it!!

So i did and it came out really good!! 

I Seared the scallops, made a classic beurre blanc sauce ,finished it with seeded fine diced heirloom tomatoes and micro greens.

looked amazing and tasted unreal!!

I think the sweetness  of the white chocolate and the acidity from the tomatoes and the sauce, balance the dish very well.

please tell me what do you think?


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

Thanks for getting back! Sounds strange and delicious, definitely an idea that will stick with me. I like the idea of micro cilantro/ tomato kind of pico de gallo reminiscent. We just did a goat cheese/ wh. Chocolate truffle at my spot. Crumbled the goat, added truffle salt and re-rolled into truffle size balls that we then coated with the ganache and sprinkled finely crushed pistachio on top. We ran it with a 'tomato salad' using peeled, thick sliced heirlooms, watercress and a pisto on the plate. Went over really well. Genius' thinking alike between the wh. chocolate and heirlooms, huh?


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## achefnamedsous (Oct 20, 2014)

I like the previous comments about the chocolate and scallops. I can see this working, but like what I do is in Ancho chili sauce with dried ancho peppers. Reconstituting those then adding honey, Red wine vinegar,cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, fresh cilantro and salt. The anchos tend to have that dark, earthy flavor similar to that of molé and also associated with chocolate. It's a really good sauce has a great Texture, (make sure to strain it ), and you can put in a squeeze bottle and dress your plates up nicely.


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