Coquilles St. Jacques à la Fondue d'Endives: You Complete Me!

Lemon Butter Seared Scallops on a bed of Endives.

We originally went to Whole Foods to get a few scallops. We got four large ones to make this dish, but then Lee’s brother, Chen, mentioned that we should get the Japanese scallops at Trader Joe’s, since they were sweeter. So we sashimi’d the WF scallops, and got TJ’s scallops for our trial run.

We only bought one endive, so we cut it up smaller than the recipe had indicated. Lee cooked up the endives, and seared the scallops, while I prepared the lemon butter sauce.

Plating the three elements (endives, scallops, and sauce) was fairly easy. I put some swipes of sauce on the sides for presentation (Kirk stepped it up on that steak photo!!), and sprinkled the chives on.

Each element had its distinct flavor. The endives were a little bitter and crisp, the scallops were soft in the center with a crusted edge, and the sauce was lemony, buttery, creamy, and lightly seasoned. But when the contrasting parts came together (you have to eat all the pieces together Tim/Lee, not separately!!), they balanced out and complemented one another. I really liked this dish when put together. It's very simple yet complex in taste.

Endives cooking.

Endives laid to rest.

Searing the scallops.

Starting the sauce with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

Voila! Plated and ready for a photo.

Coquilles St. Jacques à la Fondue d'Endives - Starter

Scallops and endives is a classic bistro pairing. A glass of Sancerre Blanc, Jurançon, or Sauvignon Blanc makes an excellent accompaniment.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) butter, cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices
4 Belgian endives, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 sea scallops
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1/2 bunch chives, chopped, for garnish

Crème fraîche:
Crème fraîche can be found in specialty food stores and some grocery stores. To make crème fraîche at home, mix 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) heavy cream with 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a mdeium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature overnight or until fairly thick. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. The cream can be kept in the refrigerator for several days.

Preparation:
In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat and add the endives. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté gently for 5 minutes, or until the endives are tender; set aside.

Season the scallops with salth and pepper to taste. In a large sauté pan or skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat and sauté the scallops for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the lemon juice to a boil and whisk in the 1/2 cup (4 oz /125 g) butter one piece at a time. Remove from heat, whisk in the crème fraîche, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

To serve, divide the endive slices among 4 shallow soup bowls or dinner plates. Arrange 5 scallops on top of each serving. Spoon the lemon butter over, sprinkle with the chopped chives, and serve immediately.


Recipe from:
Chez Diane
25, rue Servandoni
75006 Paris