Food Buzz Badge

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

A Pox on Your House, Thomas Keller

There was a line in the show I just directed:  "Some words are meant to be spelled, not used." 

My adaptation of that line: some recipes are meant to be aspirational, not made.

I read food magazines on the elliptical at the gym, which is a way to pass the time and dream about food that I don't always want to make.  So when I read the article about chef recipes made easy, I was intrigued.  Despite the fact that one of them was by Thomas Keller.

I know I've said this before, but I pretty much never use my Thomas Keller cookbooks.  They're fun to look at, but I have no desire to spend six hours and every pot in my kitchen making dinner.  But what can I say?  The recipe sounded great.


Two hours later and only most of the pots in my kitchen sullied (what did I DO with all that time?), I concluded that even a simplified Thomas Keller recipe was more than I wanted to do for a weeknight dinner.  But hey, it sure looked pretty, and it was quite tasty except for the fact that the recipe had the vegetables finishing way before you're ready to use them.  I've modified the recipe here to hopefully get everything to the table still warm. 

I was unable to find large sea scallops on the day I made this, but I recommend them if they are available.  That gorgeous, spicy rice recipe will come later this week.

Seared Scallops with Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, January 2012

2 tsp. hot curry powder
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1/2 lb. cauliflower, cut into small pieces
6 oz. snow peas, trimmed
2 tbsp. panko crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. crunchy peanut butter, preferably natural
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, preferably large
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a small jar or bowl, shake or whisk together the curry powder and olive oil.  Let this sit for at least 15 minutes, or until the curry settles at the bottom.  Then strain through a coffee filter so the curry is removed, leaving you with just the oil.  Stir in the lime juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the cauliflower on a baking sheet and drizzle evenly with two tablespoons of the olive oil.  Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil for the peas.

In a small skillet, warm one tablespoon of the olive oil.  When it is shimmering, add the panko crumbs and stir until they are slightly toasted, about three minutes.

Pat the scallops dry and season them with salt and pepper.  Place the cauliflower in the oven and bake until it is brown in spots, about fifteen minutes.  Place a large, oven-safe saucepan over high heat and add the remaining olive oil.

While the oil is heating, combine the panko crumbs with the peanut butter and stir to combine. 

When the oil is shimmering, add the scallops and sear them on one side for approximately four minutes.  Then turn the scallops over and lightly sear for another minute;  then remove the pan from the heat and top each scallop with a dollop of the peanut sauce.

Place the saucepan in the oven for approximately two minutes, which should melt the peanut sauce.  Boil the snow peas for approximately one minute, then immediately drain and rinse in cold water.

Remove the scallops and cauliflower from the oven and plate immediately on a bed of the cauliflower and snow peas.  Once the scallops, cauliflower and snow peas are on the plate, drizzle with a little of the curry oil.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a light main dish.


47 comments:

  1. I love reading/watching foodie stuff when working out. Helps me build an appetite ;) LOL You know I'd be all over these...I mean peanut sauce?! Um yeah!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The peanut sauce is the best, and easiest, part. The original recipe called for breadcrumbs, but the panko gives it great texture.

      Delete
  2. oh wow, this sounds delicious! such a beautiful meal!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have always thought that what is in a chefs cookbook is not what they would serve at a restaurant. Restaurant chefs do not have the time for all of that.
    I am glad you tweaked this recipe down to something that can be prepared as weeknight meal. This recipe does not look like it would take all that long. Outside of that this dish does have some delicious flavor elements and it looks stunning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no earthly idea why it took so long to make this. I think I've managed to streamline it a little bit from the original recipe, though.

      Delete
  4. I totally agree! Some recipes are unfathomable! I love what you've done with this one and it looks so tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I completely agree! Some recipes have way too many steps and just take 4 times as long as they should!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just love everything on the plate,I use peanut butter so often ,,it is good to make sauce with it and healthy dinner plate too :)
    Ridwan

    ReplyDelete
  7. I collect recipe books and some I use just to read like novels or to look through. Maybe someday I will get the nerve to make a fancy meal. This does look like something I would like to make!! Beautifully plated. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I have the same thing with cookbooks--they're overflowing into my dining room and David keeps trying to get me to prune the collection.

      Delete
  8. Some so-called easy recipes can be so deceiving! I'm glad you still enjoyed the dish though. Crisis averted!

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a beautiful plating...and recipe sounds really delicious too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think I've only made one TK recipe from Ad Hoc...brownies...so those weren't too time consuming. But his French Laundry cookbook is so much more intimidating! You've piced a winner, though, and definitely worth stream lining so you can treat yourself more often :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the Ad Hoc cookbook--it still isn't that approachable, but it's definitely better. David and I ate there years ago, and the food is actually very good.

      Delete
  11. Can't go wrong with scallops in my book; maybe not a Thomas Keller book! You are a brave one.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I bet the scallops with the cauliflower were delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  13. lovely combination of flavours I haven't made like this

    ReplyDelete
  14. Scallops are definitely a winner in my book. You paired it really well! I like the way you presented it too.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've got to try this....Really looks hearty! My husband will love this dish.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The opening sentence you have stated gives a thought for me to ponder. You know we eat rice almost everyday and topped up with plenty of spicy taste. This recipe is a perfect try out for me and I am loving it all the way.

    ReplyDelete
  17. My French Laundry cookbook is a coffee table book. Fun to browse and I've never cooked from it! This does looking utterly delicious - I accept that Keller's recipes sing. I don't think we sing in the same key though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think that's the best description of trying to cook Thomas Keller that I've ever read.

      Delete
  18. LOL! I think they way to experience Keller is to go to his restaurants. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your plate looks fantastic!! I'm pretty sure I've only attempted one Thomas Keller recipe but it was MUCH easier than this one! This sounds incredible, I'm sure it tasted even more delicious than it looks!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I agree - We've cooked several recipes from his cookbook, but it takes hours of preparation and it's not for daily meal at all...and even weekend we have to prepare to have some time dedicated for cooking. The outcome is always great though. Looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  21. This peanut sauce is calling my name!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love cooking scallops. The peanut sauce pairing sounds delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow, congratulations! Doing a Thomas Keller isn't easy, you have a winner here!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love scallops, but rarely have them. These look so good and I really like the peanut sauce!

    ReplyDelete
  25. haha I do the same thing! I love skimming through the beautiful cookbooks and extravagant recipes... basically every Martha recipe! But sometimes its so much fun to try!Your dish looks sooo good! Such pretty plating!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I know how you feel! I have a lot of cookbooks that I've never really used because the recipes are so daunting and look like they'd take the entire day to make! But you really worked this out. I love scallops and your plating is really so inviting! : )

    ReplyDelete
  27. It looks like the meal was worth all the pots!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Now that's my meal! It looks so tasty and appetizing with the creative plating.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Delicious! Could eat that anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It looks great, and peanut butter in savory food is always terrific. But I'm wary of the great chefs' recipes too. I like food that I can get ready in a hurry!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hahaha I know what you mean! Well, this dish looks and sounds phenomenal - worthy of a special occasion :-)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day. :) This sounds interesting...I'm curious about the scallops and peanut sauce. :) I'll have to give this a try!

    ReplyDelete
  33. This dish looks so very tastefully done!!Kudos to you for trying a TK recipe.It may be time consuming but the outcome sure is delicious as we can see here :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. It may have taken hours but it looks great. I'm looking forward to the rice recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  35. So pretty! I'll put this one on the back burner until the day when I finally live in a home with a dishwasher :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. In theory that dish sounds amazing, but two hours seems like more than I could ever afford to devote to a non-holiday meal! I am craving scallops now.

    ReplyDelete
  37. This looks lovely. Even though it took a few hours it was worth it!

    ReplyDelete
  38. There better be macarons at the end of a marathon cooking session for me...otherwise it ain't happening. That rice looks phenom though! Can't wait for that :)

    ReplyDelete
  39. I'm with you! I'd rather spend the 6 hours making 6 different dishes and just one. This does look quite good and koodos to you for giving it a go!

    ReplyDelete
  40. What a delicious looking dish! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I agree with you! I wouldn't spend so many hours for just one dish! I always try to find quick and easy meal ideas especially during weekdays! The meal looks very elegant and perhaps after your alterations it was worth the time you spent for preparing it!

    ReplyDelete
  42. I have a man crush on Thomas Keller, my girlfriend thinks it's weird...but the man is a genius! I love using his cookbooks even though they can be a bit labor intensive and may or may not break the bank. Looks delicious though, great job! Following your blog now, looking forward to sharing with you!

    ReplyDelete