Scallops Limoncello

A Seat At The Table – Beekman 1802

As mentioned in a previous entry, I made this dish along with the lobster dish from the same book.  Definitely good stuff.  And while I expected to enjoy this dish, what I underestimated what the “Wow!” factor once I actually tasted it.  Holy cow… it was a surprisingly delicious.  I think the reason for the surprise was because while I want to like scallops and have enjoyed them on occasion, they’re not an easy food to prepare.  While scallops cook relatively quickly, they can still be tricky.  If you don’t cook them long enough, they’re still raw.  But, if you leave them on for even a minute longer than they should, they become rubbery.  And neither option is enjoyable.  But this recipe is so easy, that it’s almost foolproof.

Having said all that, what else is there left to say, except…  LIMONCELLO!!! 😍

Not to mention… MOSCATO! 😍❤️😍  Hello!  My newest love!  

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Ingredients:

10 sea scallops
¼ cup limoncello
Zest and juice of half a lemon
¼ cup of white wine (like Moscato)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 slice prosciutto, coarsely chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 tablespoon panic breadcrumbs

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Move a shelf to the top position in the oven and preheat the oven to 425º F.

Make sure the scallops are dry.  Place them in a baking dish and pour the limoncello, lemon juice, lemon zest, and wine over them.

In a small skillet, heat the oil and nutter over medium-low heat.  Add the shallot and far lick and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden.  Remove from heat and add the parsley and prosciutto.  Spoon this mixture over the scallops and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.  Back 12 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden and scallops are cooked through.

 

Crusted Lobster with Oregano Butter

A Seat at the Table – Beekman 1802

I’ve only made this one, but I will be making it again. Because…  lobster!  But here’s the thing… the recipe calls for live lobsters.  And anyone knows me knows I can’t do live lobsters.  Nope.  Under no circumstances will I put a live lobster into a boiling pot of water.   Nor will I split them in half while they’re still alive.  Not a snowball’s chance in hell.   But frozen lobster tails?  That, I can handle.  So, frozen it will always be.

I actually made this along with a scallop recipe from the same book and they were both amazing.  Definitely worth making again, although I’m not sure I’d want to make them both at the same time because it doesn’t allow you to appreciate each one for how amazing the individual dish is. 😍

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Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¹⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Two 1 ¼-pound live lobsters 
½ cup panic breadcrumbs

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Preheat the oven to 400º F.  One a shallow baking pan — large enough to hold the halved lobsters in a single layer — with heavy-duty foil.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the parsley, oregano, mustard, salt, and pepper flakes over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted.  Set aside.

Split lobsters in half lengthwise. (You can also ask your fishmonger to do this for you when you buy the lobster.)

Place the lobster halves cut side up on the baking pan.  Spoon the butter mixture gently on the lobster halves and top with breadcrumbs.  Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the breadcrumbs.  Bake until the flesh is firm and white and starts to pull away from the shell — 12 to 14 minutes.

Note: In the water months, an optional way to serve this dish is with boiled potatoes or corn on the cob — a simple meal that tastes of summer.