If you enjoyed the Goat Cheese Salad with candied pistachios half as much as I did, it would put a smile on my face. Don’t forget it can make a nice light summer dinner as well.
Next course, seared scallops mingle with a light citrus sauce and a creamy polenta gets jazzed up with fresh mild goat cheese. These scallops are happily dusted with a gorgeous Welsh Oak Smoked Sea Salt from Halen Môn. This is a salt you will start using and never ever want to stop. I swear, I’m about to order a 1/2 kilo.
Disclaimer: I’m so not getting any benefits from promoting this product. Halen Môn was however, a generous sponsor at the previously mentioned (many times), Plate to Page workshop. And it is with pleasure, that I pass on my recommendation.
Hell, I carried this salt at Chez Chloe (my kitchen/specialty food store) on Orcas Island for four years! I was more than happy getting it wholesale by the case!
{Print Recipe} for Seared Scallops, Citrus Sauce and Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta
Citrus Sauce: 1T minced shallot 1/4 cup white wine (I used riesling and it was lovely) 1/2 cup orange juice 6 T cold butter chopped in small cubes 1/4 tsp white balsamic vinegar season to taste with salt and white pepper
The use of goat cheese in this manner, came the first time for me, when I had run out of parmesan and used it in my white sauce for pasta. And loved it.
Then it went into my gravy for traditional Southern biscuits and (non-traditional) gravy.
Why not with polenta? It gives it a pleasant, mildly tangy umph. I wonder if someone who is a little freaked by goat products (Resa are you reading this) would notice?
And if you are a goat product lover then it’s a no brainer.
Creamy Polenta: Serves 2 with generous leftovers- 1 cup polenta 4 cups water 1/2 cup milk 1 bouillon cube 4oz fresh goat cheese 1/2 tsp salt 2 T butter
Scallops are quickly seared before serving. I used 5 scallops per person (which was myself and O) and cooked them in two batches as they tend to water up which leaves you steaming scallops instead of searing. I heat about 1 T olive oil and 1 T butter on medium high for each batch and quickly cook the little mollusks on each side for only 1 and 1/2 – 2 minutes. You don’t want to be chewing little rubber disks draped in citrus butter.
Lastly, may I suggest with the polenta leftovers, you try heating them up and serving with a fried egg, salmon lox and creme fraiche. You will like this if you like southern grits. I know Shelly… don’t judge me. I love grits. I love Flo from Alice…. all you youngsters (and folks who didn’t grow up in the USA in the 80′s) can google that!
Tschüß,
