Monday, September 8, 2008

Scallop Saltimbocca

Scallops are just about my husband's favorite food on earth; he absolutely loves them. Unfortunately, the only time he ever really gets to have them is when we go out to eat, because they're just too expensive ($14.99 a pound!!!) to buy and make at home.

But last week I came across a recipe for scallop saltimbocca in Tyler Florence's cookbook that sounded too good to resist. Luckily, when we did our grocery shopping yesterday, the butcher gave us a deal on the scallops because their "sell by" date was close. Since I was planning to make them last night anyway, this worked out fine.

This was a delicous meal -- the perfect balance of salty and sweet. The flavor profile is very simple, but all the flavors and textures work in such harmony. This meal is surprisingly filling, too. I added some onion, and I'm glad I did, because I love the combination of apples and onions. This was the first of many apple recipes I'll be making this fall!


Scallop Saltimbocca
Tyler's Ultimate by Tyler Florence

6 slices prosciutto
12 large sea scallops
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 lemon

1. Wrap half a strip of prosciutto around the circumference of each scallop and squeeze gently so it adheres to the scallop. Tie a length of kitchen string around each to keep prosciutto in place. Trim the edges. (I used a toothpick to secure the prosciutto to the scallops, and it worked just fine.)

2. Heat olive oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sage leaves and fry until lightly browned and crisp, 2-3 minutes. Gently lift the leaves out of the pan and drain flat on paper towels.

3. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the hot pan and cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Remove scallops from pan and put them on platter.

4. Add apples and onions to the pan and give them a quick saute until the apples are wilted and both are caramelized, 4-5 minutes. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Discard toothpicks from scallops. Place on plate and spoon apples around, garnishing with the fried sage leaves.

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