a menu of temptation for Valentine’s Day

Seared Scallops with Succotash
Seared scallops are basted with a thyme butter sauce, served over a bed of savory vegetables and topped with a simple, flavorable jus. The secret to this dish is to not to overcook the scallops or they will become tough. As soon as they turn opaque and white they are done.

Seared Sea Scallops with Corn Succotash and Scallop Jus
Recipe courtesy of MarxFood.com

For the Jus

• 2 whole scallops diced (or scallop muscle scrap)
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 ½ cup white chicken stock
• olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon of butter

1. heat sauté pan over medium heat
2. add olive oil, then the onion – cook until transparent
3. add carrot – cook until soft
4. add leek – cook until soft
5. add wine – cook until almost evaporated
6. add stock and reduce by ½
7. top with butter
8. strain and season, discard vegetables

Succotash

• 6 ears of corn – cut off the cob
• 1 red pepper – small dice with ribs removed
• 1 summer squash – small dice
• 1 zucchini – small dice
• 1 bulb fennel – small dice
• 4 scallions – sliced into rings
• butter
• olive oil

1. heat a sauté pan large enough to accommodate all ingredients
2. add olive oil when pan is hot followed by fennel and cook to transparent
3. add zucchini, squash, and red pepper – cook until slightly soft
4. add corn, scallions and cook for 2 minutes
5. add butter and season

Scallops
For
superior flavor, look for dry-packed scallops, which are not packed in
a solution. Ask your grocer or seafood shop how how the scallops were
shipped and try to get #2 dry packed scallops.

• Dry packed scallops – muscles removed, rinsed and patted dry
• peanut oil
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 Tablespoon of butter

1. heat sauté pan over medium high heat, add peanut oil when hot
2. season scallops with salt on both sides
3. add scallops to pan ensuring not to crowd pan as this will prevent a proper sear
4. cook scallops until well browned
5. flip and turn heat to medium
6. add butter and thyme, baste scallops for additional minute
7. remove from heat and plate immediately

Plating the Dish

1. Spoon succotash across plate
2. Place scallops in line on top of succotash
3. Spoon sauce/jus over the scallops

Hokkaido Squash Cheesecake
Recipe courtesy of Pama Liqueuer

Served with two glasses of champagne, this delicious sweet is the perfect ending to your seduction meal.

Cheesecake

• 4 ¾ cups mascarpone
• 4 ¾ cups cream cheese
• 4 cups white chocolate, shaved
• 4 whole eggs
• 10 yolks
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup Grand Marnier
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups Hokkaido squash

1. Combine all ingredients and mix together. Place in a non-reactive
   baking dish.
2. Place in a water bath and bake in water bath at 325
   degrees F for 40 minutes.
3. Strain through fine mesh sieve.
4. Cover with
   foil. Let cool.

Graham Cracker Crust

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 4 ½ oz brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, melted

1. Combine everything. Crumble and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Set aside

Cherry-Pomegranate Sorbet

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 2 cups cherry puree
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 oz dry glucose
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp stabilizer, such as agar or pectin
• 1 oz PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

1. Combine water, sugar, dry glucose and stabilizer. Bring to a boil.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Add cherry puree, pomegranate juice and PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur.
4. Chill over night.
5. Spin in ice cream machine.

Plating the Dish: Place a small amount of graham cracker crumbs on
plate with large spoon. Place a scoop of the cheesecake on top
of crumbs. Place a scoop of pomegranate-cherry sorbet next to the cheesecake. You can serve this dish with poached kumquats.

Toast with two sparkling glasses of champagne as you endulge in this sweet temptation.