Maine Scallops With Roasted Baby Red Beet Pickled Mustard Seed And Pistachio Recipes

Steps:

• In a mortar, crush the anise seeds with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the garlic. Place pistachios and tarragon in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add anise mixture, oil, sherry and lemon juice. Process to a thick paste. Transfer to a small saucepan. Whisk in stock or water. Heat on low until tepid. Turn off heat.
• Heat a cast iron skillet or a griddle to very hot. Dry scallops. Brush a slick of oil on the pan, lower heat a bit and place scallops in the pan. Sear on medium-high until handsomely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. You'll know when the scallops have browned enough when they can be lifted with your spatula without ruinous sticking. Lightly dust scallops with salt, then turn them. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until scallops are browned on the bottom and just cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, gently warm the sauce. Whisk and add a smidgen of salt if needed.
• Spoon some of the sauce in the center of each of 4 warm dinner plates. Poise 3 to 4 of the scallops around the edges of the sauce pool and garnish with tarragon.

Steps:

• For the Yams: Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom oven rack, then preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bake yams on the top rack for 1 1/2 hours, or until they are soft and have started to ooze beads of dark syrup. Remove yams from oven and allow to cool slightly. Then separate and discard the skins. Whip yams in a food processor or mash by hand. (Unlike regular mashed potatoes, yams benefit from the smoothness created by a food processor.) Add nutmeg and slowly mix in half-and-half. Reserve.
• For the Spinach: Remove stems, then wash spinach thoroughly. Shake off excess water, but do not dry.
• In a non-aluminum pot, over medium heat, add the oil, garlic, and leek. Stir until leeks and garlic become translucent. Add spinach and cover pot. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until spinach has completely wilted. Let cool, then squeeze out all liquids. Puree spinach in a food processor along with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reserve.
• For the Beets: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Roast beets in the oven until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool. Peel off skin and discard. Then puree beets in a food processor. Reserve.
• For the Scallops: Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Saute in a butter over medium-high heat for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until cooked throughout.
• Reheat vegetables just before serving. Spoon 1 dollop of veggies onto each palette, and add 1 scallop. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• In an ungreased 3-qt. baking dish, combine the first seven ingredients. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10 minutes or until bubbly., Stir in scallops. Bake 15 minutes longer or until scallops are firm and opaque. Serve with rice if desired.