Saffron Scallops Recipes

PASTA WITH SAFFRON SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS

Steps:

• The day before the party, make the base for the pasta seafood topping. Melt the butter in a skillet. When the foaming subsides, add the shallots, carrot and celery. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until very tender and almost dissolved in butter. (If at any time the vegetables begin to stick to the skillet, add a tablespoonful of water or wine.) Uncover the skillet, add the saffron and white wine and boil over high heat until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Add the fish stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper (do in advance up to this point.) Boil the pasta until al dente. While this is cooking, add the heavy cream to the skillet and simmer again until the sauce is slightly thickened. Add the shrimp and scallops and simmer just until the seafood is cooked through. Add the tomatoes and simmer just for a minute to warm them through without really cooking them. Adjust the seasoning. Drain the pasta and portion it out among 6 warm pasta bowls. Ladle the saffron seafood sauce over the top and garnish with warm microwaved peas.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH SAFFRON AIOLI

Steps:

• Put the orange juice and saffron in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 1 minute, until orange juice is infused with the saffron; stir in the zest and remove from the heat to cool slightly. Whisk the orange mixture and the mayonnaise in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and set aside while you cook the scallops.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. When the oil is rippling, add the scallops and sear, turning once, until golden brown but still opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the scallops from the skillet to serving dishes, (3 to 4 per person), and drizzle with the aioli. Serve immediately.

SAFFRON SCALLOP GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. (If possible, position the broiler rack 3 inches from the heat.) Mix the breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the parsley and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Soak the saffron in a separate small bowl with 1 tablespoon water.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the scallops, season with salt and sear until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1 more minute; transfer to a plate (do not wipe out the skillet).
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet. Add the onion and carrots, season with salt and cook until the onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and paprika and stir until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine, scrape up any browned bits and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, the saffron and soaking water, and any juices from the plate of scallops. Bring to a simmer and cook until about 1/4 inch of liquid remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Return the scallops to the skillet, transfer to the broiler and cook, rotating the skillet as needed, until the scallops are firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the scallops with the breadcrumb mixture and continue to broil until browned, 1 to 2 more minutes, rotating as needed.

STICKY BRAISED SHORT RIBS AND SEARED SCALLOPS WITH ORANGE SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• For the short ribs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large casserole heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. Remove the short ribs and set aside. Add the onion, carrot, paprika, caraway, and thyme to the pan and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Pour in the honey, red wine, and stock and bring it to a boil. Return the meat to the pan; the liquid should just about cover the meat. Place the pot in the oven and put on the lid loosely to allow the steam to escape and the sauce to thicken. Cook until the meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Place the meat on a platter and keep it warm. If necessary, cook the liquid over high heat until it is thick and syrupy. Remove from the heat and return the meat to the pan while you make the scallops.
• For the scallops: In a saucepan over high heat, add the chicken broth, cream, orange zest, and saffron, if using. Cook until the liquid is reduced and thick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Season them well with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sear the scallops without moving them for 1 to 2 minutes. When nicely browned, turn them over and sear them on the other side. Remove the scallops and set aside. Pour out any excess oil and add the cream mixture to the pan. Let this reduce over high heat for about 2 minutes. Return the scallops to the pan and cook until they are heated through, about 1 more minute.
• Serve the sticky short ribs topped with the creamy scallops; garnish with watercress.

SAFFRON SCALLOPS WITH CAPELLINI

Steps:

• Place the scallops in a bowl and sprinkle with the olive oil, saffron and one-half tablespoon tarragon leaves. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
• Preheat broiler. Slice the pepper into thin strips, discarding the seeds. Place the strips inside up on foil paper and broil until the skins are charred. Place in a closed paper bag for a few minutes, then remove the skins.
• Place the pepper strips in a blender and puree. If you need to add liquid to obtain a puree, add some of the white wine. Meanwhile, put six quarts salted water on to boil for the capellini.
• In a heavy skillet, soften the shallots in the vegetable oil. Sautethe scallops briefly (about two minutes) and remove them with a slotted spoon. Keep warm.
• Add the white wine and the pepper puree to the pan. Reduce until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Meanwhile, cook the capellini until al dente (about three minutes). Drain and place in a heated bowl. Add the butter and toss so that the strands do not stick together.
• Return the scallops to the sauce, heat through and sprinkle with remaining tarragon. Place the mixture on top of the capellini and serve.

SCALLOPS IN SAFFRON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• In a large skillet cook the scallops in 1 tablespoon of the oil, covered, over moderately high heat, shaking the skillet occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are just cooked through. Let the scallops cool in a bowl, covered loosely.
• In a small bowl combine the saffron with 2 teaspoons hot water. In a blender or food processor blend together the egg, the lemon, juice, the mustard, the salt, and the pepper, with the motor running add the remaining 1 cup oil in a slow stream, and blend the mayonnaise until it is emulsified. Stir in the saffron mixture and salt to taste. Dip each scallop round, patted dry, into the saffron mayonnaise, coating it well, arrange it on a lettuce leaf, and garnish each hors d'oeuvre with some of the carrot and chives. (Any remaining saffron mayonnaise may be used as a dipping sauce for vegetables.)

SCALLOPS IN SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Put wine, fish stock and saffron in a pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook for five minutes or until soft. Add the scallops and cook gently for five minutes stirring occasionally, or until they turn just opaque. Be careful not to overcook.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the scallops from the skillet and transfer to a warmed plate. Add the saffron liquid to the skillet, bring to a boil, and boil rapidly until reduced to about half. Lower the heat and gradually stir in the cream, just a little at a time. Let simmer gently until the sauce thickens.
• Return the scallops to the skillet and let simmer for 1-2 minutes just to heat them through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. serve the scallops hot, garnished with parsley, and accompanied by chunks or slices of crusty bread for mopping up the saffron sauce.

SAFFRON SCALLOPS

Steps:

• 1.Put white wine, stock, and saffron in a pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. 2. Season the scallops with kosher salt and pepper Heat olive oil in a large heavy bottom skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the scallops and cook gently for five minutes stirring occasionally, or until they turn opaque. Be careful not to overcook. 3. Using slotted spoon, remove the scallops from the skillet and transfer to a a warmed plate. Add the saffron liquid to the skillet, bring to a boil, and boil rapidly until reduced to about half. 4. Lower the heat and gradually stir in the cream. a little at a time. Let simmer gently until the sauce thickens. Return the scallops to the skillet and let simmer and let simmer for 1-2 minutes just to heat them through. 5. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. serve with the scallops hot, garnished with parsley, and accompanied by chunks or slices of crusty bread for mopping up sauce.

SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat butter in heavy three-quart saucepan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until translucent but not brown. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, until grains turn white. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, for five minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated.
• Meanwhile, place the saffron in a small dish and pour a cup of the hot stock over it.
• When most of the wine has evaporated, stir in a half cup of the stock and adjust the heat so the mixture cooks at a steady simmer. When most of that stock has evaporated, stir in the stock with the saffron and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue adding stock, about a half cup at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is just barely tender, about 15 minutes longer. You may not need to add all the remaining stock.
• Stir in scallops. Continue cooking, stirring gently, another three to five minutes, until rice is al dente and scallops are cooked. Add a little stock if necessary. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes; serve at once.