MISO GLAZED SCALLOPS WITH SOY SAUCE CONSOMMÉ
Honestly: this recipe is a product of sarcasm. I was working in a kitchen where my station was nothing more than a large butcher board on a mobile wire shelf with wobbly wheels. For some reason, a bowl of fruit kept finding its way on to my station—no matter where I would re-place it. I finally brought the bowl to my Executive Chef which she asked without hesitation, ‘What is it?’ to which I replied, ‘Miso Glazed Scallops with Soy Sauce Consommé.’ Of course, she didn’t like the response—she wasn’t a fan of me anyway—but, I liked and was a fan of the idea of this flavor profile; so I made it—many times. Now the glaze is actually a creamy miso sauce and the consommé has developed from just soy sauce boiled with water and scallions to a deep, richly complex flavored broth using dried shiitake mushrooms and seaweed. Definitely worth your time to make; and I say this without a hint of irony.
PREP / COOK TIME: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
Makes 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
1 to 1 1/4 Lbs – Dry Sea Scallops; Approximately 12
1 Tb – Vegetable Oil
1 Tb – Unsalted Butter
2 Tsp – Sesame Oil
1 Tb – Miso Paste
2 Cups – Heavy Cream
1 Cup – Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
3 Cloves – Garlic, Peeled and Halved
4 Stalks – Scallions, Stems and Leaves, Chopped
1 (.17 Oz) Package - Simple Truth® Organic Roasted Seaweed Snack Wasabi
¼ Cup – Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce
½ Cup – Kikkoman Manjo Aji-Mirin; or 2 Tbs of Sugar to a ½ Cup of Extra Dry Vermouth
2 ¼ Cups – Filtered Water
3 Cups – Instant, or Long Grain, White Rice, Cooked as Directed
THE NITTY GRITTY
Consommé – In a medium saucepan, combine dried shiitakes, garlic, scallion stems, seaweed, soy sauce and 2 cups water; stir and simmer at medium heat for an hour. Strain vegetables and aromatics from broth into a bowl; return broth to pot. Stir in mirin; continue to simmer consomme on low heat.
Scallops – In a large non-stick pan, heat oil on high. Arrange scallops in pan; sear on both sides (about 2 -3 minutes). Transfer scallops to plate; cover loosely with foil and set aside. In the same pan, add butter; stir to deglaze fond. Add miso paste and about a ¼ cup scallion stems; cook out rawness (about a minute). Add cream and whisk fervently till sauce is combined. Add remaining ¼ cup of water; whisk then simmer till bubbly and sauce thickens. Remove from heat; finish with sesame oil. Return scallops to pan to coat. Serve scallops over rice; surround bivalves and grain with ladles of consommé—garnish with remaining scallion leaves and enjoy.
FEBRUARY 26, 2019
