Temperatures are in the 90 as I write this, and people are walking around the street in shorts and flip-flops, but something about the slant of the light tells me that fall is close. I’m gazing at the tomatoes, squash and stone fruit in our restaurant kitchen with a look of farewell.
Already I’m thinking about fall with its darker colors and its heavier, more caramelized flavors. This pan stew, which uses dried Spanish chorizo, apples and fennel as a bed for sautéed scallops, is the perfect dish to ease into fall. Everything is cut very small so it can cook quickly and still maintain a little toothsomeness. The pan stew is made with clam juice, butter and lemon, and is given a little depth of flavor with smoked paprika and hot sauce.
If you can’t find scallops, make this dish with halibut or monkfish.
Note: to wash the scallops, immerse them for a second in a bowl of ice water (this will firm them up a little as well). Remove from the ice water after a few seconds and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Scallops with Pan Stew of Apples, Fennel and Chorizo
A heavier stew to ease into fall. Serves 4
Ingredients
8 large scallops, washed and dried
1 teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons clarified butter
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
½ bulb fennel, minced
1 green apple, minced
4 tablespoons Spanish chorizo (I like Palacios), minced
1½ cups clam juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 scallion, minced
Few shots hot sauce
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons store-bought aioli or mayonnaise
Directions
Season the scallops with the ground fennel, smoked paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper. Over high temperature, heat the clarified butter in a medium-size non-stick pan just until it begins to smoke. Carefully slide the scallops into the pan and begin to sear. Cook about 4 minutes on one side.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in another non-stick pan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the onions and the fennel and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the apple and cook 1 minute more. Add the chorizo and the clam juice and reduce.
Check the scallops by lifting one and peering underneath. They should be golden brown and caramelized . With a pair of tongs, turn them over and cook 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them sit in the pan for a second. Squeeze a lemon over the scallops and baste them for a few seconds with their pan juices.
Once the clam juice has thickened, swirl in the butter, scallions, hot sauce and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.
Divide the pan stew among 4 plates or 4 pasta bowls. Place 2 scallops in each bowl. Using a small spoon, dab a little bit of the aioli on each scallop. Serve immediately.
