Sumac Ridge Cellar Door Bistro Seared Atlantic Scallops

 

We were driving to work this morning, and I said to Vince,"We should do the first dish tonight. Let's make the Cellar Door Bistro Seared Atlantic Scallops with Risotto"  He said, "OK.  Can you remember what was in it?"

When I offered, on this blog,  to duplicate all the dishes that we ate last weekend at the Okanagan Food & Wine Writers Workshop, the organizer, Jennifer, asked  if I wanted some of the recipes, because she was going to contact the chefs and ask if they would share them.   My husband Vince said "Recipes......we don't need no stinkin' recipes!"  That sounds like a "throwdown" of sorts (forgive us Bobby Flay)

On the way home, we were making our list.  We would stop at the Italian Centre Shop to pick up chanterelles and a few other things we needed, and then on to Sobey's for Atlantic Scallops.  Kim, from Vinegar Works told us that she uses their Verjus in risotto instead of white wine, and we just happened to have a few bottles of that from our trip.

At the winery, the dish was served with  a 2007 BlackSage Vineyard Chardonnay.  This wine somehow ended up in our car!  How did that happen? 

At the restaurant, the chef came out and talked to us about his creation. I overheard a conversation about the sauce in the dish.  I think I heard him say that it was carrots cooked in stock, pureed, strained and finished with cream. If any of you out there were at that dinner, and were part of that conversation, you can correct us now!

So on we went!  It was fairly simple to put together.  I have created a recipe, which I will share. 

Sauce

2 carrots (we used local red carrots from the City Centre Farmers Market)
3/4 cup stock (we used homemade chicken, you could use vegetable if you like)
2 oz of full fat cream (whipping)

Peel and cut carrots into small dice.  Cook in the stock until the carrots are completely cooked.  Puree with a hand blender.  Add the cream, and cook more until reduced slightly. Season if you wish.  We added a splash of Verjus.  A squeeze of lemon would be acceptable as well.   Strain sauce through a seive and keep warm. We did not add any salt at all!

Risotto

1 small onion finely diced

3/4 cup chanterelles cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 - 4 cups hot chicken stock (or vegetable)
2 - 4 oz Verjus (or white wine)
1 oz  canola oil
Fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a saucepan, saute the onion in the oil until translucent.  Add the rice and saute for a few minutes.  Add the stock, about 1/2 cup at a time and stir into the rice.  Keep the pot on low to medium so that it bubbles slightly.  Do not cover the pot.  When the stock is absorbed, add more stock.  After about 3 additions of stock, add the Verjus and the chanterelles. Continue to add the stock until the rice is cooked, but still a little firm in the centre of the grain.  It should still be a creamy texture.  Add more verjus if you wish and then the optional parmesan.  Salt the dish after the Parmesan addition.  Keep warm.

Scallops

2 large scallops per person (10/20 count)
1 good non stick pan
a smidge of canola oil

Heat the pan.  Dry the scallops with a paper towel.  Season with a little salt.  Place the scallops in the hot pan and cook for approximately 6-9 minutes on one side.  Flip over and cook for a few more minutes.  The scallops should still be slightly underdone in the middle. 

Plating

Place some sauce on the plate.  Add the rice, and then top with the scallops.  We added a few leaves of Italian Parsley from our garden, the restaurant had some micro greens, I think. 

Voila!  We were happy. The wine was excellent again.

Vince and Colleen

Cellar Door Bistro