SCALLOPS WITH PAPAS CHORREADAS AND ROMAINE LEAVES
Norman Van Aken, © 2013 “New World Kitchen”, HarperCollins Books
This dish is inspired by a Colombian classic. Chorreadas is a word that describes the way when you pour a sauce and it flows over a dish. Here we make a creamy sauce that has a tiny jolt of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes in the Jack cheese and some sweetness from tomatoes. The sauce in my interpretation is served both under and over the potatoes. In addition I add the untraditional accompaniment of Romaine Leaves, which adds a soft green hue.
Yield: Serves 4
For the Scallops:
24 ounces of cleaned Sea Scallops, (size varies but allow 5-6 ounces per person)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
For the Chorreada Sauce:
4 large Idaho potatoes, scrubbed and quartered lengthwise into wedges
3 Tablespoons of butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
2/3 Cup of heavy cream
6 ounces pepper Jack Cheese, grated
Two handfuls of thinly chopped romaine lettuce
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to taste
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. While they are cooking, make the sauce. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When it foams a little add the onions and cook until lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 7 minutes (this will be a stew-like consistency). Add the cream and stir in the cheese. Allow to melt together and cook another 3 minutes. Divide the sauce in half. Put half in a small pot and keep warm. Place the other half in a warm bowl. Add the romaine leaves and gently stir it until all is warm. Set aside. Heat one or two large non-stick skillets and add the oil. When the oil is quite hot add the scallops and sear until golden on the bottom. Turn them over and cook about 20 seconds. Remove them to a warm grated rack over a plate. Now put the sauce with the lettuces on four warm plates. Place the potato wedges on this and drizzle the potatoes lightly with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Season the potatoes. Now spoon the remaining warmed sauce over the potatoes. Garnish with some chopped fresh herbs if you like. Place the scallops on top of the sauce and serve.
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