Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Scallops Dijon...a flop?

I don't know if these were a complete flop - I mean it's not like I overcooked them or anything tasted horrible. But they weren't a complete success. I followed this recipe pretty much verbatim except that instead of serving the scallops on a bed of linguine I served them on a bed of sauteed baby spinach. In addition to the fresh parsley, I added in fresh thyme. I also added a piece of crispy prosciutto to the top of the dish for both flavor and presence. I do have to say, this dish looks beautiful.
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It's colorful, presents well and is full of fresh ingredients. The flavor however, was on the bland side. I don't really understand why. Perhaps I didn't let the wine reduce enough to concentrate it's flavor? Maybe it just needed more salt? Also, the dijon flavor was a bit overpowering, which is rare for me to say since I absolutely love dijon. So needless to say, I won't be trying this one again. But I had to post because the presentation turned out so pretty. And maybe you have a suggestion for how to improve this recipe? Any thoughts?

Bay Scallops Dijon
source: Whole Foods Market Cookbook
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3/4 pound dried linguine
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3/4 pound bay scallops (I used regular sea scallops and counted about 4 per person)
2/3 cup white wine
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard, more to taste
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pepper to taste

Cook linguine in boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add scallops and cook 1 minute longer. Add wine and simmer for 2 minutes, until scallops are just cooked through. Stir in mustard and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve over linguine.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like to read the good and bad of trying new dishes in the kitchen. Have a very happy new year :)

What's Cookin Chicago said...

I agree that it most definitely looks delicious and colorful... hopefully if you decide to make it again it will be more flavorful with some additional spices/salt or the thought of reducing the wine some more?

That Girl said...

Your problem was using scallops. They're icky. ;-)

I bet if you try it with shrimp it would be tastier.

Lisa said...

Not a bad idea That Girl!

Macaroni and Cheesecake said...

It looks so beautiful! I hate that it didn't turn out that good.