Blackened Sea Scallops

Name: Blackened Sea Scallops
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 4 ripe plum tomatoes, roasted (see page 108), halved, seeded, and diced; 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced; 2 green onions, green part only, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons smoked sweet Spanish paprika; 1 tablespoon ground ancho chile; 1 tablespoon ground pasilla chile; 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon celery salt; 20 U-10 sea scallops, muscle removed; 1/4 cup canola oil; Kosher salt; Green Onion Vinaigrette (recipe follows); 1/4 cup white wine vinegar; 1 small shallot, chopped; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon honey; 6 green onions, green part only, chopped; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; (makes about 2/3 cup)

December 14, 2011

The legendary Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme started the blackening craze; the method calls for coating seafood or meat in a spice mixture before cooking it in a cast-iron pan. The quick cooking over high heat really seals in flavor as it creates a fantastically flavored blackened crust. Redfish is the traditional choice, but I like the juxtaposition of the spicy rub against the sweetness of scallops. Their meaty richness really holds up well to the aggressive blackening. A simple vinaigrette of green onions adds a vibrant freshness to the dish, as does the smoky tomato relish.

Recipe notes

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