Asparagus With Scallops Browned Butter And Prosciutto Recipes

SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Trim asparagus, then cut stems into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices, leaving tips whole.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté asparagus, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving skillet off heat (do not clean).
• Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté half of scallops, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer scallops with tongs to another plate as cooked.
• Wipe out skillet with paper towels, then add remaining tablespoon oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Sauté remaining scallops, turning over once, until browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total, transferring to plate. (Do not wipe out skillet after second batch.)
• Carefully add wine and vinegar to skillet (mixture may spatter) and boil, scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 1 minute. Add any scallop juices accumulated on plate and bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
• Add asparagus and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Serve scallops topped with asparagus and sauce.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a food processor, add the tomatoes, basil, olives, and olive oil and process until finely chopped.
• Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Rub each scallop with the tomato mixture. Fold each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise, then wrap each scallop in 1 slice of prosciutto. Place wrapped scallops in a buttered baking dish, seam side down. Bake until scallop is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, toss the arugula with the balsamic vinegar. Season the arugula with salt and pepper. Place the arugula on a serving platter or divide among individual dishes. Top with the scallops and serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH SCALLOPS, BROWNED BUTTER AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Cook the asparagus in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to a colander and leave the pan of water simmering on the stove.
• Melt 1 tablespoons butter in a large skillet.
• Add the proscuitto to the butter and cook over low heat until crisp, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer proscuitto to a plate.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet and add the scallops, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Transfer the scallops to a plate.
• Add the lemon zest to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until browned, about 1 minute.
• Add the lemon juice and simmer for 10 seconds.
• Add the broth and simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan until reduced to a rich glaze, about 3 minutes.
• Swirl in the remaining 1/2 tablespoons butter and return the scallops to the pan, along with any juices and cook on low heat until heated through.
• Return the asparagus to the simmering water to heat through.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Using tongs, transfer the asparagus to a large platter and spoon the scallops and sauce over it.
• Top with proscuitto and serve.

ASPARAGUS WITH PROSCIUTTO AND PICKLED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Put the shallot and mustard seeds in a small bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the vinegar mixture over the shallot mixture and stir. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat the broiler. Spread the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss until coated. Broil until crisp-tender and lightly browned in spots, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer the asparagus to a platter. Discard the thyme sprigs from the shallot mixture and spoon over the asparagus. Serve with the prosciutto.

ASPARAGUS WITH PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• For asparagus, snap off tough ends of spears where they naturally give when bent. Place spears into 1-inch of boiling water. Cover the pan and cook asparagus for 3 or 4 minutes, until spears are just tender but remain bright green in color, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Drain and cold shock the spears in a colander under cool water. Return cooked asparagus to skillet and coat with lemon juice and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
• Remove bundles of several spears at a time from the pan and wrap with sliced prosciutto. Pile assembled bundles on a serving plate.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• If the asparagus are thick, peel them halfway up the stalks. Cut off and discard the bottom third of the asparagus. Place the asparagus in a single layer on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, until the stalks are just tender. Meanwhile, place the prosciutto in a single layer on another sheet pan and roast in the same oven for 5 minutes.
• Melt the butter in a medium (10-inch) saute pan over medium heat and wait until the bubbles almost subside. Crack the eggs into the skillet, keeping them separate, if possible. Sprinkle the eggs generously with salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny. Don't turn them over!
• Arrange the asparagus on 3 plates. Place 2 slices of prosciutto on top of each pile, drizzle with hollandaise, and place a fried egg on top of the prosciutto. Serve hot.
• Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in the jar of a blender and process on low for 15 seconds. Melt the butter in a small saucepan until it is sizzling hot. Remove the small clear insert in the top of the blender. With the blender on low, slowly add the hot butter to the egg and lemon mixture and blend for 30 seconds, until the sauce is very thick. Use immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Peel the lower part (root end) of the asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler.
• In a large nonreactive saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the asparagus in one layer, cover and cook over high heat for about 6 minutes, to the desired tenderness. Lift asparagus from the water (most of it should have evaporated) and arrange on a platter.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a skillet until it is lightly browned and stops smoking. Sprinkle the asparagus with the salt and pepper, and pour the hot butter over it. Garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.

SEA SCALLOPS ON ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Coarsely chop the mushrooms and combine them in a large, non-reactive saucepan with five cups of water. Simmer gently for about one-and-a-half hours.
• Strain the liquid, pressing to get all possible juice. Discard mushrooms or reserve. Return the liquid to the pan and boil over high heat until reduced to about a half cup. Set aside.
• Break off the woody asparagus bottoms and peel the lower third. Remove the heads and halve them the long way, then slice the stems across into coins about one-eighth-inch-thick. Combine the honey, lime juice, tarragon and thyme in a small cup.
• Put the dark olive oil in a wide, nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the asparagus pieces and stir-fry for one-and-a-half minutes, or just until they start to change color. Stir in the honey mixture and cook one minute more, then remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the mushroom essence to the asparagus pan, raise the heat to high and reduce to a generous quarter cup. Set aside.
• Right before serving, put one tablespoon of the light olive oil in a wide, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dust half the scallop pieces with seasoned flour (see note), place them in the pan and add one tablespoon of the butter. Cook the scallops about one-and-a-half minutes per side, basting with the fat. They should be golden, barely cooked. Set aside, uncovered, and repeat with the remaining oil, butter and scallops.
• Add the reduced mushroom essence to the scallop pan and bring to a boil, scraping. Stir in the asparagus, plus any escaped juices, and reheat.
• Make a nest of the asparagus on each plate and pour the juices over them. Arrange six scallop pieces on each nest and serve at once.

ASPARAGUS WRAPPED IN CRISP PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat with olive oil.
• Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear, starting at the bottom, and spiraling up to the tip. Place the wrapped spears on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS WITH ASPARAGUS PURéE

Steps:

• Asparagus: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously (make it as salty as seawater). Trim the woody ends from asparagus and discard; then submerge asparagus in the boiling water. Cover with lid just until the water comes back to a boil, then uncover and cook until al dente (tender but with just a little crunch), 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water.
• Asparagus are done when they bend without snapping. Use a spider strainer to transfer them to the ice bath; submerge and stir to immediately stop the cooking. Reserve cooking water (to thin purée). Cut asparagus tips and reserve for garnish. Cut stalks into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
• Place asparagus stalks in the blender and cover with lid; pulse a few times. Remove the smaller cap in the lid and turn blender to medium speed. Ladle in a slow stream of cooking water (about ½ cup) to help the asparagus purée. Use caution, as the water and purée are hot! Replace the cap, then purée on high speed. When the purée is smooth, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl to remove any fibrous strands. Salt the purée to taste and set aside.
• Scallops: Place scallops on paper towels in an even layer and pat dry; this is an important step to get a nice sear. Pull off and discard any tough side-muscles (their fibers run against the grain of the rest of the scallop). Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add oil. (Add more as needed to coat the bottom of the skillet.) When the oil begins to ripple, add scallops in an even layer without crowding. Let cook undisturbed, 60-90 seconds. Scallops are ready to flip when they are evenly caramelized and no longer stick to the skillet. Before flipping, sprinkle with sea salt. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the asparagus purée.
• When scallops are golden brown on the first side, they should release easily from the skillet. Using a small offset spatula, flip each scallop to sear the second side; continue sautéing, 30-45 more seconds, depending on size. Remove scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and let rest while finishing the sauce.
• Add half of the asparagus tips to the warmed purée. Add butter, then swirl the saucepan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the purée to make a rich sauce.
• Immediately before serving, add the lemon juice to the asparagus sauce and stir to combine; taste and adjust seasoning. Divide the sauce among plates or large bowls, then place the scallops on the sauce. Garnish with remaining asparagus tips and serve immediately.