Queen of Cashmere Daybook

Fine Cooking Magazine Oct/Nov 2009

I love Fine Cooking Magazine for it’s sophisticated yet simple offerings.   The recipes are never overly complicated  and are always company-worthy. 

The marriage of flavors on this plate are exquisite.  The sweetness of the grapes plays perfectly off the tart zing of the preserved lemons and the richness of the scallops is intensified by the smoky, lush harrisa.

 I am addicted to the flavors of Morocco so my pantry is stocked with a large jar of preserved lemons from the Middle-Eastern market and homemade harrisa.  Having those two items on hand made this dish come together in about 15 minutes.  Should your pantry not be stocked in the same way mine is, Fine Cooking has streamlined the ingredients for you.  It will add a few minutes to the preparation but not much.

Couscous makes a perfect addition to this meal. Enjoy!

• 1 medium lemon
• Kosher salt
• 1  1/2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered lengthwise and at room temperature
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 lb. large all-natural “dry” sea scallops, side muscles removed
• Freshly ground black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon in strips (yellow part only). Reserve the lemon. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid reduces to about 1 Tbs., about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, drain again, and pat dry. Finely mince the lemon zest and combine it with the grapes, 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, scallions, cilantro, and mint in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. Pat the scallops dry. Season them liberally with salt and pepper and coat them with the spice mixture.

Heat 1Tbs. of the olive oil ma 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the scallops and cook, turning once, until seared on the outside but still translucent in the center, ito 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and scallops.

Divide the scallops among 4 plates and serve with the relish. Cut the reserved lemon into quarters and squeeze over the scallops and relish. Serve immediately.