Pan Seared Scallops with Boiled Peanut Succotash
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 3 hr 45 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 55 min
Ingredients
12 large fresh sea scallops
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup raw red peanuts
1/2 cup Sea Island peas or any other field peas
3 cups water
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 fresh cob shoe peg corn, kernels cut from the cob
1 clove garlic, minced
3 ounces Cajun seasoning, plus more for dredging
1 ounce Italian flat leaf parsley
2 green tomatoes, sliced
Sea Island Pea Hummus, recipe follows
Red Pepper Coulis, recipe follows
Sea Island Pea Hummus:
2 fresh cobs shoe peg corn
1 fresh jalapeño
1/2 cup dry Sea Island peas, or any other field peas
1 teaspoon sesame oil or tahini
Pinch ground chile de arbol
Pinch ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper
Oil, as needed
Red Pepper Coulis:
One 10-ounce can roasted red peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces Calabrian chile peppers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper
Directions
- Place the scallops on a large towel or paper towels to soak up any excess moisture.
- Fill a large pot with water, then add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Add the red peanuts and cook to desired tenderness, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Add the peas to the pot and bring to a boil again, cooking with the peanuts until tender, about 45 minutes. Strain the peas and peanuts and let cool.
- Heat a medium to large skillet on high heat, then saute the onions, bell peppers and diced sweet potato in 1 teaspoon oil and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the corn to the skillet. Add the peanut and pea mixture to the skillet to make a succotash. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, Cajun seasoning and parsley. Cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water at the end to keep from drying out.
- Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Dredge the green tomatoes in Cajun seasoning. Add to the skillet and sear until charred, 2 minutes on each side.
- Heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet and sear for 4 minutes on one side. Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet, then flip the scallops and sear for another 4 minutes. Remove the scallops from the skillet and set aside.
- Plate the succotash in the middle of a plate and top with the scallops. Dollop the hummus on one side and Coulis on the other; place a tomato on either side. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Sea Island Pea Hummus:
- Heat a griddle to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the corn on cob and jalapeño until charred, 3 minutes on all sides. Set aside and let cool. Cut the corn from cobs and remove the jalapeño stem. Add to a blender or food processor along with the peas, sesame oil, chile de arbol, cumin, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper. Blend until you get a smooth consistency, adding oil, a tablespoon at a time, if needed.
Red Pepper Coulis:
- Add the red peppers, oil, Calabrian chiles, Dijon, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until you get a smooth consistency.