Tag Archives: scallops

BBQ Scallops with Little Creatures Pale

Caroline: We couldn’t stop thinking about the bacon wrapped scallops we had in Bedford on our minimoon a while back; so we decided why not just make our own version??

I don’t think I’ve ever tasted better seafood then the local stuff you can get in Tasmania in the summertime. That sort of pains me to admit considering I’m from Baltimore which is a close second…(Blue crabs from b-more will always be number one…moving on)

These scallops were soooo tender and sweet, you could’ve easily eaten then raw but we pan seared them for less then a minute on each side just to add a bit of crisp.

Our take on Jean Bonnet’s BBQ Scallops:

crisp up some pancetta in a pan

sautee some spring onion in butter

sear the scallops for 30-45 seconds per side (I like them nearly raw in the middle if they are super fresh)

squeeze over some lemon juice and season with salt and pepper

we drizzled BBQ sauce on the plate rather then on the scallops themselves, you don’t want to drench them and mask their flavor

place all components on a plate

top with nasturtium flowers if they grow in your backyard for a peppery zing and prettiness

the last and best step?

NOM NOM NOM

Caroline – We sipped Little Creatures pale ale with our snack but a crisp white wine would have been great as well, nothing too sweet since the scallops and the BBQ covers that. A cold Sauv Blanc, unwooded Chardonnay, a bitter pale ale or Pilsner does the job perfectly.

 

Scallops, Minted Peas and Beer Blanc matched with Mountain Goat Steam Ale

Kris: Nothing like a weekend away in the big city. I can’t go to Melbourne without visiting the Queen Victoria Markets. An amazing selection of fresh produce, cured meats, cheese, beer, wine and seafood. I thought it would be a great idea to cook dinner using Victorian produce, matched with some Victorian craft beer.

The entree I decided to create was Pan fried scallops, minted peas and beer blanc (Beurre Blanc is a classic french butter sauce, made with a reduction of white wine and vinegar. I decided to do my own version using a reduction of Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene, a classic Belgian Gueuze. It is a funky, sour blend of 1,2 and 3 year old barrel aged lambic)

Caroline: One of my favorite things about Melbourne is the Queen Victoria Markets! SO much fresh produce, so many spices, so much cheese, wine, seafood, and meats! If I died and went to heaven, I think it would be Queen Vic. Luckily We stayed with a friend who lived right by the markets and scored a ton of great snacks…

Scallops, Minted Peas and Beer Blanc

400g scallops

300g peas

10 finely sliced mint leaves

olive oil

180ml Lindeman’s Cuvee Rene Gueuze

2 peeled eschalots

5-6 pepper corns

180g chilled butter

1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

Method

Kris: This sauce can be a little intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. The key is to make sure the butter is really chilled and you add it in small amounts so that it emulsifies and doesn’t split.

Beer Blanc

Place the beer in a saucepan over a medium heat and reduce by half

Add the eschalots and pepper corns

After a few minutes, slowly add small cubes of the chilled butter and whisk

After all the butter has been added, simmer until the sauce thickens

Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste

Steam the peas for 5 minutes until tender

Add the peas and mint to a mortar and pestle

Add some olive oil and mash

Season with salt and pepper

Heat a frying pan to smoking point

Add a small amount of olive oil and sear the scallops for a couple of minutes each side

Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper

Place the minted peas on the plate 

Place the scallops on top of the peas

Spoon over the Beer Blanc

 

Caroline: The scallops were so soft and tender, perfectly cooked, and the mint added so much freshness and lightness to the mashed peas! and Beurre blanc (beer-blanc) how can you go wrong?? Such a delicious dish, rich and still light and summery.

Kris: I have been thinking about making the Beer Blanc for quite a while now. It was a great success. The dish was also a great match with the Mountain Goat Steam Ale. It is a great interpretation of the Californian Common, an ale brewed at a low temperature. It is clean and crisp with a nice touch of citrus hop flavour and aroma.

Caroline: Matching our Melbournian dinner with a Melbournian beer seemed only natural, and Mountain Goat is one of our favorites! If only we had been in town on a Wednesday or Friday to go down to the brewery for brewskies and pizza! We drank the Steam Ale with our seafood dish. The Steam Ale is not only certified organic, but is also really delicious! Clean, crisp and refeshing; a perfect match for seafood.