Scallops With Grapefruit And Leeks

                                                      

Scallops With Grapefruit And Leeks

You can get Canadian scallops all year-round, but their harvesting ramps up in April as the weather gets warmer. It doesn’t take a lot of them to feel satiated, and they are so easy to cook (just don’t do it for too long!). Pop them on top of a few complementary ingredients, like we have here, and you’ve got gourmet, restaurant-quality food at your table in minutes.

Ingredients:
3 leeks, green parts trimmed
2 medium-size grapefruits
5 tbsp (75 mL) salted butter, divided
3/4 to 1 tsp (4 to 5 mL) fine kosher salt (if using table salt, reduce 

    amount and season to taste)
1 lb (455 g) sea scallops, patted dry
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped Marcona almonds
Chopped mint or parsley for sprinkling (optional)
Directions:
Trim ends and green parts from leeks.  Slice white leeks in half.  Fan and rinse. Thoroughly pat dry. Finely chop.

Slice off top and bottom from grapefruit.  Set on a cut side.  Slice off any remaining peel and pith.  Carefully slice segments over a bowl to catch any juices.  Set aside juices for another use.  Arrange segments over plates.

Melt 3 tbsp (45 mL) butter in a large frying pan set over medium heat until bubbling and lightly golden.  Add leeks.  Lightly season with salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.  Remove to plates with grapefruit.  Wipe out any bits from pan.

Season scallops with salt.  Add remaining 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter and oil to pan and set back over heat.  When bubbling and lightly golden, add scallops, spacing them apart.  Cook, until deep golden, about 1 to 3 minutes per side.  Remove to plates with leeks.  Top each with almonds.  Sprinkle with mint.  Makes 4 main course or 8 appetizer servings

Marcona Almond Lemon Meringue Pie

Marcona Almond Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients:

Crust
1/2 cup Marcona almonds
4 1/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
1 3/8 ounces powdered sugar (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (4 ounces), cut into small pieces
Cooking spray 

Filling
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 ounces cornstarch (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cups water
4 teaspoons lemon zest plus 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons), divided
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 

Meringue
4 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

Directions
Crust: 

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Place almonds in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped, about 6 times. 

Add flour, powdered sugar, and salt; pulse twice to combine. 

Add butter; pulse until small, moist clumps form, about 13 to 16 times (dough will be crumbly but it will hold together when pressed between fingers; you don’t want the dough to form a ball, but you also don’t want lots of dry flour).

Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Pat dough into bottom and up sides of pie pan; pierce bottom of dough with a fork. 

Place in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove dough from freezer; line with parchment paper and pie weights or dried beans. 

Bake at 400°F until lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. 

Carefully remove parchment paper and pie weights. Bake until evenly browned, about 5 minutes.  Place on a wire rack to let cool.

Filling: 

Whisk together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large, heavy saucepan. 

Whisk in 1 1/3 cups water and lemon juice. Cook over medium, stirring almost constantly, until bubbly and thick, about 6 minutes. 

Place egg yolks in a medium bowl.  Add about one-fourth of hot lemon juice mixture to egg yolks, whisking constantly.Gradually add remaining hot lemon juice mixture, whisking constantly. 

Pour mixture back into pan; cook over medium, whisking constantly, until bubbly, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat. Stir in lemon zest. Add butter; stir until butter melts. Place saucepan into an ice bath in a large bowl. 

Let cool to room temperature (or cooler), whisking occasionally, about 8 minutes. 

Spoon mixture into cooled crust. Loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

Meringue: 

Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed just until soft peaks form.

Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small, heavy saucepan; stir just to moisten sugar. Bring to a boil; cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 250°F, about 6 minutes. 

With stand mixer running on medium-low speed, slowly pour hot sugar syrup down side of bowl into egg white mixture. 

Increase speed to medium, and gradually increase up to high. Beat until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue over pie. Lightly brown meringue under a broiler or with a kitchen torch, if desired.