Gabe Bertaccini’s Seared Scallops with Carrot Coulis | Worst Cooks in America | Food Network

Chef Gabe Bertaccini shows the recruits how to make a seared scallop dish with carrot coulis and a carrot top salad with crispy pancetta and toasted panko!
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Seared Scallops with Carrot Coulis and Carrot Top Gremolata
Recipe courtesy of Gabriele Bertaccini
Level: Easy
Total: 45 min
Active: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

10 to 12 baby carrots, roughly chopped, tops reserved
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 sweet onion, roughly chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups vegetable stock
6 tablespoons canola oil
12 large sea scallops, side muscle removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 small bunch thyme
1 small bunch sage
3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 shallot, diced
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

For the coulis, add the carrots, garlic, onion, vinegar, honey, salt, cayenne and vegetable stock to a saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the carrots are very soft, about 15 minutes. Once cooked, transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and puree until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. The coulis should not be too thick, but similar to a thin milkshake. Pour into a clean pan and set over low heat until ready to serve.

Coat a large nonstick pan with the canola oil and preheat over high heat until the oil is loose and shimmering. Pat the scallops dry on both sides with a paper towel. Add the scallops to the pan, in batches of six, and sear them on one side until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the scallops and then add half of the butter, thyme and sage to the pan. Continue cooking, basting scallops often with the butter, until they are cooked through and butter is brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes longer. Remove from the pan. Repeat with the remaining scallops, butter, sage and thyme and once cooked, add all of the scallops back into the pan, take off the heat and set aside.

Add the pancetta to a cold frying pan and place over medium heat. Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the pancetta is crispy, about 7 minutes. Without discarding the rendered fat in the pan, remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Set aside to cool.

Add the panko and a pinch of salt and pepper into the pancetta fat and toast over medium heat, stirring until fragrant and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Swish the carrot tops around in the water to remove any dirt. Repeat until the tops are clean, then remove from the water and pat dry with a clean towel. Pluck about 1 cup of carrot top leaves and place in a medium bowl with the parsley leaves, shallot and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Just before serving, add the pancetta, breadcrumbs, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil and toss.

To assemble, ladle about 1/4 cup of the warm carrot coulis onto individual dinner plates. Set three scallops on top. Spoon some of the browned butter from the scallop pan over the top and then garnish with the carrot top gremolata.

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Gabriele Bertaccini’s Seared Scallops with Carrot Coulis | Worst Cooks in America | Food Network


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