BROWN BUTTER LEMON SCALLOPS OVER PEA PUREE WITH COUSCOUS

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Seafood

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Ingredients

The Pea Puree:

3 tablespoons butter

1 large shallot, chopped

1, 10-ounce bag frozen peas

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup cottage cheese

¼ cup mint leaves, chopped

The Couscous:

1, 5.9-ounce box Near East Couscous – Parmesan (or your favorite flavor)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

The Scallops:

1-pound sea scallops

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons flour

5 tablespoons butter, divided (keep 3 tablespoons cold in the fridge until you make the sauce)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

The Garnish:

1 cup frozen peas, cooked to package directions

¼ cup microgreens

Instructions

To make the pea puree, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the frozen peas, salt, white pepper, and stock to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook just until the peas are warm, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Pour the pea mixture into a food processor. Add the cottage cheese and mint leaves. Process until smooth.

Optional – you can push the puree through a mesh sieve for even smoother texture, but delicious either way.

Prepare the couscous to package directions. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the scallops.

Place the scallops in a single layer on a cutting board. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and remove the tough muscle on the side (if it is not already removed). Season the scallops with the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the top and gently roll the scallops with your hand until they are all evenly covered with the seasoning and flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until the butter melts and begins to turn brown. Add the scallops to the pan taking care not to crowd them, so they sear and don’t steam. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side, depending on size, until there is a golden-brown sear. Flip and cook for another minute on the second side until just cooked through – do not overcook. Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add the wine and lemon juice to the pan drippings and let boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cut the remaining 3 (COLD) tablespoons of butter into pats and place them in the pan. Whisk them continuously into the sauce until they are melted and the sauce is thickened and emulsified. Stir in the parsley. Add the scallops (and any drippings that have formed on the plate) back to the pan and place over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, coating the scallops with the sauce, until everything is hot.

Place about ¼ cup of the puree on a plate and push it with a spoon into a swish-like shape on 1 side of the plate. Top the puree with several scallops and some of the sauce. Place the couscous in the center of the swish on the other side of the plate. Top with more of the sauce if desired. Garnish with 2-3 tablespoons of the cooked peas and some microgreens.