Food & Entertaining
Company Worthy Seared Scallops
Every once in a while you come across a recipe that is just perfect for entertaining. This Seared Scallops recipe from Emeril Lagasse is one of them.
Every once in a while you come across a recipe that is just perfect for entertaining. This recipe for Seared Scallops with Bacon, Wilted Arugula & Lima Bean Pure from Emeril Lagasse of the Food Network is one of them. It was easy to make and the presentation was company worthy!
What I loved about this meal was that the salad and entrée were all in one. The scallops are topped with the wilted arugula. I was able to plate it all at once and sit down and enjoy my guests.
I have restaurant style bowls from Crate & Barrel that are perfect for this dish. They are part bowl, part plate. In this case, the bowl portion held the entrée and the oversized rim held the bread.
On-Line Reviews for This Recipe
My husband loved this dish and he doesn’t like lima beans! Many reviewers of this recipe said the same thing. You can’t tell the sauce is made from lima beans. See the suggestions from some of the reviews from the Food Network’s on-line community on how you can prepare some of the recipe in advance.
Don’t be intimidated by the amount of ingredients. Remember, you are making the puree, the scallops and the salad.
Emeril’s Seared Scallops with Bacon, Wilted Arugula & Lima Bean Pure
Total Time: 40 min;
Prep: 15 min; Cook: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
18 sea scallops
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 tablespoons instant flour (recommended: Wondra)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 recipe Lima Bean Puree, recipe follows
1 recipe Garlic, Bacon Wilted Arugula, recipe follows
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 cups blanched lima beans, (or frozen, defrosted)
3/4 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Garlic, Bacon Wilted Arugula:
2 ounces thick-cut bacon, diced
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 ounces baby arugula
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Directions
Set a 12-inch saute pan over high heat. Add the olive oil. While the oil is getting hot, Season the scallops with the salt and pepper. Dredge the scallops in the flour and shake to remove any excess flour. Place the scallops in the saute pan and sear for 2 minutes on the first side. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and swirl to evenly distribute. Turn the scallops and continue to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the second side or until golden brown and just cooked through. To serve, place 1/4 cup of the lima bean puree in the center of each of 6 appetizer plates. Place 3 scallops over the Lima Bean Puree, and divide the wilted arugula among the 6 plates over the tops of the scallops.
Lima Bean Puree:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and sweat for 30 seconds. Add the lima beans and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the beans and liquid to a bar blender. Add the heavy cream, tarragon, salt, and pepper and process on low-speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very smooth. *Be careful blending the hot ingredients: make sure to hold the lid securely with a thick kitchen towel. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot.
Yield: about 2 cups
*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Garlic, Bacon Wilted Arugula:
Set a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Stir occasionally until the bacon has rendered most of its fat and the meat is crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the arugula, salt and pepper and toss until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
If you are a Costco member, their Kirkland brand of Sea Scallops are wonderful.
They are US Wild Caught. You can find them in the frozen seafood section.
Let me know if you try this Seared Scallops Recipe! I hope you like it as much as we did.
Thanks for stopping by.
Food & Entertaining
Beautiful and Creative Number Cakes
OMG, I’m in love with these gorgeous number cakes. They are a wonderful alternative to the traditional birthday cake. Today I am sharing both beautifully decorated number cakes as well as tips on how to make them.
OMG, I’m in love with these gorgeous number cakes. They are a wonderful alternative to the traditional birthday cake. Today I am sharing both beautifully decorated number cakes as well as tips on how to make them.
Gorgeous Number Cakes
These two cakes are just a couple of Adi Klinghofe’s creations. They are a work of art and so creative! Be sure to follow her Instagram account for more inspiration.
Use Cupcakes to Form Your Number Cake
Another creative account to follow on Instagram is Sophia Mya Cupcakes. I love her inspiration for using cupcakes to form the number.
Number Cake Using a Mold
Lekue silicone cake molds are available in numbers 0-9. You can create your own number combination for a special birthday party celebration. An easy yet elegant way to decorate a cake is with a variety of berries. I love the look of leaving the leaves on the strawberries.
Other Ways to Make a Number Cake
This infographic from Today’s Parent shows how you can make any number using an 8-inch round and 8-inch square cake pan.
I found this picture floating around Pinterest, however the link attached to the photo was not a working site. I wanted to share it because I feel it helps to see how they put the actual cake together to form the number.
Use Cupcakes to Form Number Cakes
As you saw above, you can form cupcakes into the shape of your desired number. It makes it easy to serve as no cutting is required. The number 2 cake above is festive with the floral pattern on both the cake and the serving board.
In need of a large serving board? You can use a large piece of cardboard or corrugated poster board and cover with foil.
The patterns below will help you decide how many cupcakes you will need to create the desired number. Depending on the size you want, you can use either regular sized cupcakes or mini cupcakes.
Which cake was your favorite?
Party Decorations
Need decorations for a milestone birthday party? Read my post Festive Party Decorations for a Milestone Birthday for some great tips.
Food & Entertaining
6 Festive Heart-Shaped Cookies for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovers. It’s a wonderful time of year to pass out treats to friends and family. Following are seven great heart-shaped cookies to give you some inspiration. I love the idea of putting just a few in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon to pass out gifts.
Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovers. It’s a wonderful time of year to pass out treats to friends and family. Following are seven great heart-shaped cookies to give you some inspiration. I love the idea of putting just a few in a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon to pass out as gifts.
Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles
Mallory from Chocolate with Grace says these Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies are super soft, decorated with a fluffy buttercream frosting. They look delicious!
No time to bake? If you live near Orange Grove, Texas, you can order these beautiful cookies from Blue Sugar Cookie Co.
Heart Shaped Gingham Cookies
Elizabeth from Sugar Hero came up with this clever way to create Gingham decorated Valentine cookies. She also has some fabulous ombre colored heart-shaped cookies. Head on over to her blog to see them.
Valentine Cookies with a Message
I love these cookies with a message, reminiscent of the Valentine candies we had as children.
Heart-Shaped Peanut Butter Valentine Cookies
If your loved one craves peanut butter cookies, these heart-shaped ones from The Semisweet Sisters are easy to make and no decorating required. Holly and Katie have a step-by-step tutorial on how to make these.
Festive Heart-Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
Rice Krispie treats are delicious regardless of your age! These heart-shaped treats from Click Cut Create look great in cellophane bags that you can find at Michaels.
Visit these other posts for more Valentine inspiration including more cookies, desserts and ideas for a Valentine Party. Have fun creating!
Creative Valentine Sugar Cookies
Sweet Treats for Valentine’s Day Gifts
Valentine’s Day Menu Suggestions
Elegant Valentine’s Day Party Decorations
Host a Valentine Party & Skip the Hectic Restaurant Scene
Food & Entertaining
Hearty Sausage & Lentil Soup
I made the most delicious Sausage and Lentil Soup. There is something about making soup that gives me a creative license to experiment. Since it was cold and snowing, I didn’t want to venture out to the grocery store so it was more of a day to raid my fridge and pantry.
I made the most delicious Sausage and Lentil Soup. There is something about making soup that gives me a creative license to experiment. Since it was cold and snowing, I didn’t want to venture out to the grocery store so it was more of a day to raid my fridge and pantry.
Pantry Staples for Soup
I always have chicken broth or stock on hand; either homemade in the freezer or store bought in my pantry. I’m rarely without the famous trio of onions, celery and carrots. Lentils and rice are also pantry staples.
I just so happened to have some Johnson Andouille Sausage that I picked up last week so I decided to make a spicy sausage and lentil soup. It was time to get creative and I loved the results.
One of my favorite things about broth based soups is that they freeze well. We will enjoy a bowl of soup for dinner tonight and I will freeze the rest in individual portions. It will make a great lunch on a cold winter day.
- light olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup lentils
- ½ cup white rice, rinsed
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 lb. Johnsonville Andouille Smoked Sausage, sliced
- Sauté onions and celery in olive oil until soft. Add grated carrots and garlic and sauté for two minutes. Add spices and sauté for one minute.
- Add rice, lentils and broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add sausage and continue to cook until lentils and rice are done, approximately 20 more minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste. You may also need to add some broth or water. Remove bay leaves.
- Serve with warm crusty bread.
Other Soup Recipes Perfect for Winter
Following are some links to my other soup recipes. Enjoy!
Mom’s Healing Chicken Soup Recipe
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