Scallops And Saffron Couscous Strudel Recipes

SEA SCALLOPS WITH SHERRY AND SAFFRON COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Season scallops on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add scallops (work in batches; use remaining oil if necessary, depending on size of pan); cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 1 minute on each side. When cooked, pour off any fat remaining in pan. Set aside scallops on a plate covered with foil.
• Return pan to heat. Deglaze pan with sherry, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until sherry is reduced by two-thirds. Add stock, butter, saffron, thyme, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; add couscous. Cover the pan; remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes. Uncover; fluff with a fork; adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with scallops.

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.

SCALLOPS AND SAFFRON COUSCOUS STRUDEL

Steps:

• In a saucepan bring the water to a boil, stir in the couscous, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and the salt, and remove the pan from the heat. Let the couscous stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Set a rack over another saucepan of boiling water, put the saffron in a heatproof saucer on the rack, and let it steam for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it is brittle. In a blender or small food processor blend the mayonnaise, the saffron, the garlic, and lemon juice. In a non-stick skillet heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the bell peppers, stirring, until they begin to brown. Add the scallops and sauté the mixture, stirring once or twice, for 1 minute, or until the scallops are just cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the peas and salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl fluff the couscous with a fork, stir in well the scallop mixture and 1/2 cup of the saffron-garlic mayonnaise, and let the filling cool.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a work surface arrange two 20-inch-long sheets of wax paper with the long sides overlapping slightly and facing you. Put 1 sheet of the phyllo on the wax paper, brush it with some of the butter, and sprinkle it with about 2 teaspoons of the bread crumbs. On this, layer, brush, and sprinkle 4 more sheets of the phyllo in the same manner and lay the sixth sheet of the_phyllo_ on top.
• Spread the filling in a 3-inch-wide strip, mounding it on the phyllo 4 inches above the near long side, leaving a 2-inch border at each end. Using the wax paper as a guide, lift the bottom 4 inches of the pastry over the filling, fold in the ends, and roll up the strudel tightly. Transfer the strudel carefully, seam side down, to a lightly buttered baking sheet, brush it with the remaining butter, and bake it in the lower third of the oven for 25 minutes, or until it is golden. Let the strudel cool to warm on the baking sheet on a rack. The strudel may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered loosely and chilled. Reheat the strudel in a preheated 400°F. oven for 15 minutes. Serve the strudel warm, cut into 1-inch slices with a serrated knife, with the remaining saffron-garlic mayonnaise.