Seared Scallops with Jalapeno Creamed Corn

Sweet seared scallops on a bed of fresh creamed corn with butter and jalapenos, topped with a chorizo/sherry vinaigrette and wilted mustard greens. YUM ... a surprising and fantastic combination of flavors in one savory mouthful - acidity, sweetness, spice, richness! You will need two skillets when preparing this recipe. Serves 2.

Recipe

1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, cut into 1/8-inch dice
4 ears corn, husk and silk removed
2 T. butter
2 oz. chorizo sausage, diced
3 T. grapeseed oil
6 sea scallops, patted dry (remove adductor muscle)
lemon juice (from 1/4 of a lemon)
mustard greens (6-7 leaves), washed, dried and torn into pieces
salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 T. sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
sprigs of dill and chive batons for garnish

Cut jalapenos in half, remove seeds and ribs and cut into 1/8-inch dice.

Grate corn with a box grater and put in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring with a rubber spatula occasionally so it doesn't burn. Turn heat to low and cook slowly until a cream-like consistency is achieved. Season with salt and pepper. When the mixture is no longer runny, it's done.

While the corn is cooking, season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Put another saute pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Add 2 T. oil and when it is hot and begins to shimmer, add the scallops and cook about 2-1/2 minutes per side to get a nice sear. During the last minute of cooking, add 1 T. of butter to the pan and when melted baste the scallops with a spoon continually until done. Transfer scallops to a warm plate, cool for 1 minute and squeeze lemon juice over.

Add jalapenos to the cooked corn with 1 T. butter, and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, then set aside and keep warm.

Drain the oil from the pan used for the scallops. Put the pan back on medium heat and add 1 T. fresh oil. When hot add the chorizo and cook to render the fat for about 4 minutes until lightly brown. Turn down heat to low. Stir in the vinegar and paprika. Turn off heat. Add torn mustard greens and season lightly with salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir and wilt the greens in the warm pan for a few minutes until softened.

To serve, divide the corn mixture onto two shallow bowls (or plates) and top with three scallops each, then top with wilted greens and spoon the chorizo sauce over. Garnish with sprigs of fresh dill and chives.

– Chef Michael Mina on "Simply Ming"

Baked Salmon with Herbs

My boss went fishing last week and brought me a large fillet – there's nothing better than fresh caught wild Chinook Salmon! I'm so lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest! This simple recipe brings out the natural flavor of the fish. I served this with a thickly sliced heirloom tomato from my garden sprinkled with a little sea salt and Jacques Pepin's corn parfait.

Recipe

Salmon (I had about a 2 lb., 2-inch thick fillet)
Juice of half a lemon (cut the other half into thin slices to put on top of the salmon while it bakes)
1 tsp. dijon mustard
4 T. olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3-4 T. minced fresh herbs (I used parsley, lemon thyme, and oregano from my garden)
1/4 c. white wine
2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Put the salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil. Season well with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a small bowl whisk the lemon juice, dijon mustard and olive oil. Pour over the fish, being sure to cover the entire surface (and sides) with the mixture. Sprinkle fish with the fresh herbs. Break the butter into about 4 pieces and put on the fish, cover each dab of butter with a slice of lemon to hold in place. Drizzle top of fish with more olive oil. Pour the wine over the fish. Bake for 30 minutes (cooking time will depend on the thickness of your filet). 

Cottage Cheese Dip

I found the recipe for this simple, yet spectacular dip/spread on numerous websites. Onceuponachef.com says that it comes from a restaurant where she used to work – L'Auberge Chez Francois outside of Washington DC. So few ingredients but packed with flavor and absolutely sublime on toasted baguette or crackers!

Recipe

16 oz. 4% small-curd, cream-style cottage cheese
2/3 c. sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 T. finely minced shallots
1 T. finely minced chives
1 T. finely minced parsley

Mix the cottage cheese and sour cream until well blended, then stir in the rest of the ingredients. Cover and keep in the refrigerator – it gets better the longer it is chilled – if you can wait that long!

Kung Pao Chicken

I love Chinese food but have never attempted any recipes because I thought it would be too difficult with too many ingredients. Happily, I was wrong. This is a surprisingly easy recipe, full of flavor. You can control the heat by adding more or less dried chilies (or substitute chili flakes if you don't happen to have any).

Recipe

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 T. oyster-flavored sauce
1 tsp. cornstarch
8 small dried red chilies, or 1/4 tsp. dried chili flakes
4 tsp. minced garlic
2-1/2 T. cooking oil

SAUCE:
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. chicken broth
3 T. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. soy sauce
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
2 tsp. sugar

STIR FRY:
2 celery stalks, diced (cut diagonally)
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 c. diced bamboo shoots
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 T. water
1/2 c. roasted cashews (or walnuts)

Combine the oyster sauce and 1 tsp. cornstarch in a bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Combine sauce ingredients in another bowl and set aside.

Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add 2 T. oil, swirling to coat sides. Add chilies and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add chicken and stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Remove chicken and chilies from wok and set aside.

Add remaining 1/2 T. oil to wok. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add celery, bell pepper, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for 1-1/2 minutes. Return chicken and chilies to wok and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add sauce and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens. Add cashews and toss to coat. Serves 4.

– Martin Yan

Corn Parfait

What a great way to use up all that fresh summer corn – Jacques Pépin's "gratin" of corn parfait recipe. Light, fluffy, the essence of sweet corn flavor – delicious! Goes very nicely with the feta stuffed lamb burger on a bed of greens.

Watch Jacques prepare this recipe here (starts at the 2:22 mark)

Recipe

1/2 T. butter
4 ears corn, husked
3 eggs
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 to 1-1/2 c. half 'n half
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375-degrees and butter a 1 quart gratin dish.

Cut the kernels off the ears of corn and put them in a food processor and puree – while it's running, add the eggs and flour. Turn off processor and add the salt and pepper. Turn on again and add the half and half through the feed tube and process for another 5-10 seconds. Pour into the buttered gratin dish and grate fresh parmesan generously over the top of the dish. Place gratin dish on a cookie sheet and put in the oven.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until just set, puffy, and nicely browned on top.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Shrimp Potato Salad

This recipe comes from the chef at Kachka restaurant in Portland - an interesting take on a potato salad by adding shrimp, vegetables, and parsley mayonnaise (called "Shrimp Olivier," a Russian retro seafood salad). I had a half pound of shrimp and the other ingredients on hand, including lots of parsley in my garden, so I decided to give it a try. When you want potato salad but with a little something extra, this might do the trick! Their recipe calls for topping the dish with medium cooked shrimp (in addition to the rock shrimp or bay shrimp in the salad). 

Recipe

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4" pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/3 c. fresh or frozen peas
1/2 lb. bay shrimp
2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 kosher dill pickles, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 small sweet (Vidalia) onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for serving
3/4 c. Parsley Mayonnaise (see recipe below)

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender (about 8 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl; let cool.

Return water to a boil and cook the carrots until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and place in another smaller bowl. Repeat with the peas, cooking for about 1 minute. Add to the bowl with the carrots. Let cool.

Add the carrots, peas, shrimp, eggs, pickles, onion, and chopped dill to the potatoes; toss well. Mix in the parsley mayo. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper, if needed. Top with dill sprigs just before serving.

PARSLEY MAYONNAISE:
3/4 c. packed fresh parsley leaves
3/4 c. mayonnaise
1 T. mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth.

– Kachka Chef Bonnie Morales