Sea Scallops with Tarragon Pea Purée

SEA SCALLOPS SEARED IN HERB-INFUSED BUTTER. PEAS PURÉED WITH BUTTER AND TARRAGON. PARMESAN CRISPS AND SALMON ROE.

Sometimes – in this case, when you’re swamped with exams and try to make a reservation for Valentine’s day a little too late – it’s nice to stay in and cook with your special someone. I wanted to make a dessert with some of my Boo’s favorites: chocolate and passionfruit. Boo complemented the rest of the “menu” with tangy flavors – seared scallops with pea puree, and duck breast with a orange-blueberry sauce. Over the next few days we are going to post the recipes of our home cooked three-course Valentine’s day meal, starting off with the appetizer. – Pea

Servings: 2 (appetizer portions)
Difficulty: 

Oven: 350 F, 4-6 minutes

Parmesan crisps:

• 3 tb grated parmesan (or parmigiano-reggiano)

1. Onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, divide cheese into six oblong mounds.
2. Bake until browned, 4-6 minutes, while preparing scallops and pea puree.

Seared scallops:

• 6 sea scallops
• Seasoning
  sea salt, coarse
  black pepper
  garlic powder
• Seasoned butter
  2 tb butter
  0.5 tb olive oil
  1 sprig thyme
  1 sprig tarragon
• 0.5 lemon

1. Pat scallops dry.
2. Sprinkle and press seasoning into both sides of scallops.
3. In a pan, heat butter and olive oil with thyme and tarragon over medium heat until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Discard thyme and tarragon.
4. Sear scallops in hot butter until browned on both sides, ~1-2 minutes per side.
5. Remove to a warm plate, and sprinkle lemon juice over scallops. Rest, 2 minutes, while preparing pea puree.

Pea puree:

• 0.5 tb butter
• 0.5 tb olive oil
• 0.25 c peas
• Seasoning
  4 leaves tarragon
  0.25 ts salt
  pinch black pepper

1. Saute peas in butter and olive oil until just cooked through, 1 minute.
2. Blend peas with seasoning and any accumulated juices from resting scallops.
3. Serve scallops over pea puree.