Monday, April 27, 2009

Better scallops recipe EVAH!

st. renegade photocopied a recipe from a book at work (ssssshhhhh)...I'm not sure what book it was from, but it's Rachael Ray. I LOVE scallops, but usually overcook them, or have this problem where I sear them and they get cold quickly. I found that the coating on the scallops holds the heat in, so they don't get cold quickly, and that's nice. They are FAST to make, which is also a bonus. I did make a few adjustments: I couldn't find oyster crackers at my local Ralph's (the store most convenient to me this afternoon) so I substituted with generic brand saltines. I didn't want to go out and actually purchase something like Ms Dash for the recipe, so I emulated it with a blend of dried Italian herbs.

Scallops lovers, I give you:

Crunchy lemon and herb-crusted scallops.

4 cups oyster crackers (which crunch into 1 C when they are crushed)

2 T finely chopped fresh parsley

4.5 t salt-free (very important, as remember the crackers have salt)
lemon and herb seasoning

.5 t salt

.25 t cayenne pepper

1.25 lbs sea scallops (about 12) patted dry

2 T dijon mustard

2 T olive oil

Place crackers in a large ziploc baggie and crush into fine crumbs with a rolling pin, or something like that. Add the parsley, herb seasoning, salt, and cayenne. Shake to combine.

In another baggie, combine scallops and mustard. Seal bag and squish the mustard around with the scallops to coat the scallops. Add to the cracker mixture baggie, seal the bag, and shake to coat evenly.

If you'd like, refrigerate the scallops up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Remove the scallops from the bag, place in the skillet, and cook until golden brown on the outside and opaque on the inside, about 3 minutes per side.

Friday, April 17, 2009

celery unvictorious

My mom left town and in her wake was an extra club of celery (bunch of celery? whatever they are called). Not wanting to let *anything* go to waste, I consulted - yes, my usual - The Gourmet Cookbook
I learned something about myself through this process: I find celery, even cooked and slightly tender celery, very tedious to eat. I absolutely loved the dressing, and plan on making that again for a salad, but I'd eye a piece of celery and just dread how much work it was going to be to chew it. It probably could have cooked longer, but I'll never know, because I doubt I'll try it again. The dressing, however, is tangy and refreshing and delicious, so I'll mention it here:

3 T dijon mustard
1t sugar
1.5 T canola oil (I used olive oil)
3T chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1T finely chopped fresh chives

Whisk together mustard, sugar and broth in small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until well blended. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chives.

enjoy!