Himalayan salt block seared scallops and buttered garlic spinach

I haven't been this excited since the arrival of Piotr the Kitchenaid!

A couple of months ago, I got a super duper dorky-cool himalayan salt block for my birthday and I'm christening it today!

I decided to celebrate the awesomeness of owning such a cool gadget with seared scallops and buttered garlic spinach.

Enjoy!


INGREDIENTS (for 1 very excited kitchen dork):
- 5 scallops
- a splash of olive oil
- a handful of fresh spinach
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- pepper to taste
- a cooking grade salt block
- NO EXTRA SALT


RECIPE:
- gradually heat your salt block on a gas stove (20 minutes on low, 20 minutes on medium, 40 minutes on high)

- it is normal at this point to observe discoloration of the salt block

- pat dry the scallops and lightly brush with olive oil and sear on the hot salt block (about 5-7 minutes per side), reserve on the side

- melt the butter on the block and deglaze as much caramelized juices as possible before adding the spinach and as soon as it begins to wilt, add the garlic and toss

- serve the scallops on a bed of spinach and add pepper to taste

- Bon appetit!

Scandinavian experiment

Some of you may know that a couple of months ago, I went to Norway and Sweden for a few days. I came back from there with quite a few delicacies such as Geitost, Flädersläktet (Elderflower) jelly, Wasa crackers (of course) and smoked moose ham.

A few weeks ago, I decided to use the smoked moose, since the peremption date was approaching.

With that in mind, I improvised a pasta casserole with a Chasseur-like sauce.

I do not recall the exact recipe, as I pretty much went along with the flow, but it went a little something like that:

• fry the smoked moose in a bit of butter, until slightly crispy. Put aside on a plate.
  
• in the same pan, fry a finely diced onion (I would have used a shallot if I had had one in stead) in a little bit of butter, until golden, but not too brown. 
• add a few sliced rehydrated porcini (of which you will have kept the water)
  
• add the meat to the pan, and flame with a little cap of Gin (the original smoked reindeer stew recipe I was inspired from contained juniper berries, which I did not have).
  NOTE: if you flame food, shut down air aspiration! and be very careful with your hair, brows and lashes! ;)
• add a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves (I used frozen spinach, that I thawed completely beforehand, and pressed all the water out of), add the water used to rehydrate the porcini mushrooms and cook until spinach is warm and tender. 
• add a dollop of sour cream on top, a little black pepper and salt to taste.
  NOTE: the smoked meat may be very salted, so be gentle with the salt!

• pour on top of cooked whole grain pasta (I used penne rigate).

29 November 2009

Enjoy!