Bear's Perfectly Seared Scallop

You may recall my recent behind the scenes interview with Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky at Bear Restaurant.  I had quite a good time getting to know the folks behind this awesome operation and especially loved being in the kitchen and observing where the magic happens so to speak.

While in their very orderly cooking quarters, Chef Natasha illustrated the process used to make one of her signature dishes, a seared diver scallop with corn risotto.  You can watch the video here to see how it's done, and possibly even recreate it at home, but I'd like to tell you more about its taste.

Seared Diver Scallops with Corn Risotto - If you'd like to get just a little taste of this instead of ordering a whole entree, you can do so, as it comes in an appetizer version too.   The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, as there's only about 3-4 ingredients in it, and they all shine.  The scallop is large and milky white on the inside but beautifully seared on the outside, boasting a caramelized crust.  Chef sure made it look simple, but getting a perfect sear on the outside of a scallop without overcooking it isn't easy.

Overall, I like that the dish was seasoned simply with salt and pepper, as well as a "secret" little spritz of something at the end (I'll give you a hint...it's very fragrant).  The corn risotto isn't actually risotto at all, but a refreshing corn salad that has only been put on the stovetop for a few seconds.  The whole thing tastes like summer and is further decorated with fresh herbs from the greenmarket.  It's really spectacular and I'd recommend starting your meal with it, or better yet, making it the main event.

Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

Seared Scallops with Zucchini/Onion Cous-Cous

Since I was on vacation last week, my eating habits totally went down the drain - having French fries three days in a row is not exactly kind to your body.  So because of my over-indulgence, I wanted to cook up a healthy yet satisfying dinner this week that would put me back on the right track. 

I stopped off in Whole Foods after work the other day, and was delighted to see fresh sea scallops on special, so I got them.  I wanted to prepare them simply so I seared them in olive oil and seasoned them with basic spices.  A side of plain cous-cous with sauteed zucchini and white onions rounded out the dish and made it quite earthy.  Dan and I loved it and look forward to an encore soon.

Seared Scallops with Zucchini/Onion Cous-Cous

Seared Scallops (serves 2)
1/2 lb of fresh sea scallops (patted dry)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Italian seasoning

Zucchini/Onion Cous-Cous (serves 2)
1/3 cup of cous-cous
1 medium zucchini, diced into 1/2" pieces
1/2 medium onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Directions:
Pat the scallops dry once again to ensure a completely dry exterior.  If the scallops are even slightly moist (as mine were unfortunately), they'll stick to the surface of your pan and will fall apart.  Season scallops with salt and freshly ground black pepper as well as Italian seasoning (oregano, parsley, basil, etc). Make sure to rub in the seasoning well.

Pour oil in a medium - large sized skillet and make sure it's really hot.  Place seasoned scallops into the skillet and sear until the exterior is crispy and golden brown (about 3 minutes on each side). Turn over and repeat on the other side and remove from skillet when done.

For the cous-cous, cook it according to the directions on the box.  Sautee the chopped onions in a medium skillet with olive oil for about 5 - 7 minutes or until the onions get translucent.  Add salt and pepper and then include the zucchini and sautee for another 7 minutes until they get soft. 

When plating this dish, put the scallops to one side of the plate and fill the rest of it with cous-cous and then top that with the zucchini/onion mixture. 

Yum...just thinking about this dish makes me happy. I hope you enjoy it too.