Baked Scallops and Seared Tournedos with Artichoke Hearts and Asparagus Tips

Ingredients

Sea Scallops:

• 8 large sea scallops, trimmed of foot at base of each scallop
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or a few pinches ground
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
• A handful flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Tournedos:

• A drizzle olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tournedos (fillet of beef steaks, each 1 to 1 1/4-inch thick)
• Grill seasoning blend or coarse salt and cracked black pepper
• 2 slices good quality white slicing bread, toasted and buttered
• 1 /2 cup Madeira or Sherry
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped, 1 tablespoon

Vegetables:

• 1 pound thin asparagus spears, cut tender tips into 2-inch pieces
• 1 (15-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
• 1/4 lemon, juiced
• A drizzle extra-virgin oil
• Salt and pepper
• Buttered toast
• Edible flowers, available in fresh herb section of produce department, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss scallops with melted butter, garlic, shallots, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to shallow casserole dish. Combine extra-virgin olive oil and bread crumbs. Scatter bread crumbs over scallops and place in the casserole. Bake scallops 10 to 12 minutes or until bread crumbs are deep golden and scallops are opaque.

Heat a small skillet over medium to medium high heat. Coat pan with oil and butter and add room temperature fillet of beef steaks. Meat will sear in hot pan. Cook beef 4 minutes on each side for medium. Season meat with grill seasoning or coarse salt and pepper once meat is fully cooked so the salt will not draw out juices prematurely. Let meat rest 5 minutes for juices to redistribute. Return pan to heat and deglaze, using liquid to combine any pan drippings. Add Madeira, reduce by half, and add tarragon to the pan. Set aside.

Steam asparagus tips in 1/4 inch boiling water for 3 minutes and drain. Return tips to warm pan and combine with drained artichoke hearts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Heat mixture through and remove from stove.

To serve, place steaks on buttered toast and drizzle with Madeira sauce. Gently transfer 4 baked scallops to platters and finish plates with lemon dressed artichoke hearts and asparagus tips. Edible flowers make a delicate, colorful garnish.