Perfect Seared Scallops with Heirloom Tomato Chutney Date Night

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Searing scallops may look difficult, but if you handle them properly and use classical cooking techniques, you can get the perfect sear every time. This is a great date night idea. Bring the restaurant experience home with your favourite wine. The heirloom tomato chutney is the perfect compliment—a melding of sweet, spicy and sour flavours—to go with the delicateness of the scallops. Bon Appetit!

HEIRLOOM TOMATO CHUTNEY

• 1 pint heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
• 2 bell peppers, red and yellow, rough chopped
• ½ red onion, rough chopped
• 1 chili pepper, fine sliced (or use 1 ts chili flakes)
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tb brown sugar
• 1 1s white sugar
• 1 tb kosher salt
• 1 tb tomato paste
• 1 tb maple syrup
• 2 pc star anis
• 1 ts nutmeg
• 1 tb Dijon mustard or dry mustard

METHOD:

1. In a medium sized sauce pot, dissolve the sugars and salt with all the liquids.
2. Add all the dry spices.
3. Add the rough chopped vegetables.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes on med-low to reduce liquids. Stir occasionally.
5. The chutney is complete when the contents have reduced by at least half and the remaining liquid is thick and syrupy or can coat the back of a spoon.

Yield: 2 cups

Shelf Life: 10 days

PERFECT SEARED SCALLOPS:

• 10 large (U10) sea scallops
• 2 knobs of butter
• 1 tb olive oil
• S+P to taste
• 1 ts Lemon zest

METHOD:

1. Leave the scallops at room temperature for 20 minutes on a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess liquid.
2. Remove connector muscles from each scallop.
3. Season with S+P to taste.
4. Heat a non-stick pan, then add butter. Maintain medium heat.
5. Add olive oil.
6. Sear first side of the scallops for 60-90 seconds. Do not agitate once in the pan.
7. Flip and cook for 30 seconds, turn off heat.
8. Serve immediately with chutney and lemon zest.