Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Sweet Potato Mash and Burnt Sage Butter Drizzle... and Changes...

Nothing really ever remains the same, does it?

So many of my friends and family are going through major life changes right now. A dear friend is moving, having sold her home after some 20 years.. she is busy packing and sorting and reliving memories of raising her two children in their family home.

My amazing sister is moving into a smaller home with her two boys.

A long time friend has bought her first home and is moving after 18 years in her apartment.

Yet another dear friend has taken on a new job.

And me, well... things keep changing and I'm realizing the truth behind the old adage "the only thing that remains the same is change".

One thing that won't change is my love of Sea Scallops ((Placopecten magellanicus). They are a virtual blank canvas that can be pared with countless ingredients and endless cooking techniques. Rice, potatoes, vegetables, salad, stir fried, broiled, baked, grilled, seared, you name it, a beautiful, fresh, plump scallop can handle it. Here is one of my favorite presentations of these lovely mollusks.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops (with sweet potato mash and burnt sage butter drizzle): (serves 2)

For the scallops:

1/2 pound (6 to 8) large wild caught sea scallops (muscle removed)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
drizzle of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon powdered sage

For the sweet potato mash:

2 medium sweet potatoes
drizzle of milk or half and half
pat of unsalted butter
salt and pepper to season

Wash and prick the sweet potatoes. Microwave on high about 6 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash with the back of a fork. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons milk or half and half and a pat of butter and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. You can make this ahead and reheat in the microwave.

Make the scallops:

Remove scallops from fridge 20 minutes before preparing them.

Pat the scallops dry (very important) with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter with the oil over medium high heat in a medium saute pan (big enough so as not to crowd the scallops). When the butter/oil is very hot, add the scallops. Pan sear for about 3 minutes or until carmelized on one side (if the scallop is sticking, wait for a minute, cooked food does not stick). Turn and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove scallops from pan. Stir sage into pan.

Plate:

Place a dollop (1/2 cup or so) of sweet potato mash in center of plate. Top with 3-4 scallops, drizzle with sage butter.

As always, Bon Appetite.

Stealing and Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter, Sage and Hazelnut Sauce

Our 17 year old daughter has a part time job at the local Dairy Queen.

This evening at my dinner table the following conversation took place:

15 year old son: (speaking to 17 year old daughter): So, can you?

17 year old daughter: I'll try. But maybe not.

Me: What, what can you do?

Daughter: He wants me to bring him home something from work.

Me: Like what?

Daughter: You know, ice cream or a sundae

Me: So, what's the problem.

Daughter: You know, if the manager is watching...

Holy Frozen Milk!

Me: You have to pay for anything you bring home. You realize that, right?

Daughter: well...

Me: So, after you grab some ice cream do you also grab a $20 out of the cash register?

Daughter: No, OMG - I would never do that, I would never steal.

Me: Well, taking anything that you don't pay for is stealing. Anything you bring into this house will be bought and paid for. Understood?

Wow. You just never know when a life lesson presents itself do you?

I'm off to a girl's weekend. Hopefully when I get back no one will be in jail. In the meantime, here's a great fall side dish - it's easy, quick and fits the bill on these chilly October nights.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Browned Butter, Sage and Hazelnut Sauce (makes 3 dozen)

1 large white potato

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 to 2 tablespoon milk or cream

1 15 oz can pumpkin, divided in half (reserve other half for other use)

1/2 teaspoon ground sage

pinch nutmeg

salt and pepper

1 package wonton wrappers

Microwave the potato for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Remove from skin and place in a medium bowl.

Add butter, cream, sage, dash of salt, dash of pepper, nutmeg and cream.

Mash.

Add pumpkin and mix well.

Lay about 8 wonton wrappers out on a clean counter. Place about 1/2 tablespoon of filling in center of each wrapper.

Brush edges of wrapper with water and place another wonton wrapper on top.

Press to remove any air and to seal

You an use a round cutter and cut the ravioli into rounds or leave in a square.

I like LESS wonton and more filling so I cut mine.

Repeat until you use all the filling.

Lay the ravioli out on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper or parchment and dusted with a bit of flour.

Do not stack!!!

Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Heat a large pot of boiling, salted water.

Add ravioli, one at a time and boil until done. About 2 to 3 minutes. Ravioli's will float.

Sauce:

1 stick unsalted butter

7 to 8 sage leaves, torn in half if large

1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted* and rough chopped (walnuts are great too!)

Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter in a large saute pan. Add sage leaves and turn up the heat so that butter slightly browns.

Add nuts and stir to coat.

Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ravioli cooking water to saute pan and stir.

Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer ravioli to saute pan and gently toss to coat.

Serve immediately.

A Cook's Note: to toast hazelnuts, add nuts to a dry saute pan. Over medium heat toss and stir until slightly browned and fragrant.

This is a great vegetarian meal but also makes a great side to chicken, turkey or pork.

Don't forget to comment on the Yogotherm giveaway post - you have until Midnight - October 31st.!

Sing Along and Elegant Potatoes

I'm feeling a little funky today.

Like Funky Town. 

Like Singing.. a song. Like cooking and singing a song.. 

Come on, sing with me: 

to the tune of When You're A Jet from West Side Story:

When you're a Cook,

You're a Cook all the way

From your first omelet

To your last cheese souffle

 

When you're a Cook,

When the butter hits the pan,

You got eaters around,

You're a family man!

 

You're never alone,

You're never disconnected!

You're home with your own:

When company's expected,

You're the Cook elected!

 

Then you are set

With a capital C,

Which you'll never forget

Till they cart you away.

When you're a Cook,

You stay a Cook! 

Okay - singing not your thing? Try these potatoes instead of your regular side of mash or baked or however you've been enjoying spuds lately.

Baked Potatoes Stuffed with Anchovies, Bacon and Sage (serves 4)

adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Cook with Jamie" page 304.

Don't let the anchovies scare you. You wont' taste the fish. You will taste a buttery richness as the anchovies melt into the potato. Trust me on this one. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

4 medium sized potatoes, skin on (try Yukon Gold)

olive oil

sea salt

2 slices of bacon (cut in half)

4 fresh sage leaves

4 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained

1 clove of garlic, peeled and sliced lengthways

Zest of one lemon

Stick one end of an apple corer into the potato and twist to remove a "core" from the potato. Repeat with other three spuds, reserve the core. We are going to use it like a cork.

Lay out the stuffing for each potato. A piece of bacon, a sage leaf, an anchovy, a sliver of garlic. Grate some lemon zest over each stuffing. 

Fold and twist the stuffing into a little sausage shape (4 of them) and stuff into each potato. Cut the potato cores and use as corks to hold the stuffing in place. They will stick out a little, that's okay. 

Prick each potato with a fork, rub with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for one hour, turning every now and then, cook until skin is crisp and golden.

Don't tell anyone about the anchovies, they will never guess. But DO sing them the Cook song..