Are you planning a romantic dinner for two? As February is a month we celebrate love, here is a recipe that is quick and easy to prepare, though it looks like you went to a great deal of effort for someone special. A meal dressed to impress.
This dish has so many flavourful elements that will delight your palate in stages, from the zesty pop of the pomegranate seeds to the fig coulis, and not without mentioning the silky but tasty mouthfeel of the purée of cauliflower.
A proper aperitif is meant to stimulate the appetite in anticipation of the meal. It essentially prepares your stomach and taste buds for the dinner ahead. Below you’ll find a recipe for a delicious cocktail to pair with this dish.
This Rum Sidecar will enhance the sweetness of the scallops and the fig coulis.
Rum Sidecar Recipe
PREPARATION TIME 5 minutes YIELDS 2
Ingredients
2 oz golden rum (Bacardi 8-yr old Reserva as a suggestion)
1 oz Grand Marnier (or any orange-flavoured liquor)
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice, reserve lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
Step 1
Add all three items to a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously for 15 seconds, and strain into 2 cocktail glasses (preferably a coupe). Garnish with a lemon slice.
Seared Scallops atop a silky bed of cauliflower purée recipe
Recipe by Michele Bogle
PREPARATION TIME 1 hr YIELDS 2
Equipment
Skillet, heat-resistant spatula, cutting board, knife, blender, small baking pan, small saucepan, small sieve, small bowl, long dish, tablespoon, fork
Ingredients
10 large scallops
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 Tbsp cooking oil, divided
12 blackberries
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 shallot
1 pomegranate
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ cup cream
1 Tbsp thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
Fig Coulis -
5 Tbsp maple syrup
6 ripe figs, sliced and divided
4 Tbsp water
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Cut the florets and place them in a baking pan. Drizzle the oil over the florets, add the thyme, garlic, and salt, then toss the mixture together. Bake for 45 minutes, until tender, just before browning.
Step 2
Add pieces from 4 figs and maple syrup to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 6 minutes.
Step 3
Mash the simmered fig pieces into the liquid. Pass the fig mixture into a small bowl through a sieve, producing a clear coulis. Transfer the coulis into a squeeze bottle. Set aside.
Step 4
Cut the pomegranate in half and use a fork to gently pop the number of desired seeds for each plate.
Wash and pat dry the blackberries—thinly slice 2 remaining figs for plating.
Step 5
On a cutting board, cut the shallot in half widthwise. Use the smaller sections under the first layers and discard the rest.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet and turn the temperature to medium-high. When the oil sizzles, carefully place the shallots pieces into the oil. Cook for 1 minute, turning to make it golden on all sides. Set aside.
Step 6
In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high. When the oil sizzles, salt and pepper each scallop, then set the scallops into the skillet, flat side down. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes on each side.
Step 7
Place the baked cauliflower into the blender with the cream and pulse on high until smooth. Adjust with salt if needed.
Step 8
On each serving dish, spoon a bed of cauliflower purée into each container to begin plating. When finished plating all of the dish's elements, sprinkle a desired amount of fig coulis over the top. Enjoy!