Seared scallops with salsa romesco

Seared Scallops with Salsa Romesco

Ingredients:

• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds dry sea scallops, approximately 16
  
• 2 tsp unsalted butter
  
• 2 tsp Malaysian Red Palm Oil
  
• Kosher salt
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
  
• Romesco Sauce [recipe follows]

Directions:

1. Remove the small side muscle from the scallops.
   
   
2. Add the butter and oil to a 12 inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other.
   
   
3. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
   
   
4. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately with sauce.

Romesco Sauce
2 cups

Ingredients:

• 12 blanched almonds
  
• 10-12 hazelnuts
  
• 1 head garlic
  
• 1 slice stale bread
  
• 2 ripe medium size tomatoes
  
• 2 large roasted red peppers, well-drained
  
• 1 cup Red Palm Oil
  
• 1/2 cup red wine or sherry vinegar
  
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  

Preparation:

1. Roast garlic by first rubbing off excess dry skin from garlic head. Then place on baking sheet and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top. Roast in oven for 20 minutes at 300F degrees or until garlic on inside is roasted and soft.
   
   
2. If almonds are not already blanched: While garlic is roasting, blanch almonds, then peel. Make sure almonds are completely dry after blanching.
   
   
3. Place almonds and hazelnuts into food processor and process until finely ground.
   
   
4. Pour a few tablespoons of Red Palm Oil oil into a small frying pan and quickly fry bread until both sides are browned. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Once bread is cooled, tear into 6 pieces and process with the nuts.
   
   
5. Cut tomatoes into quarters and sauté in same pan, adding oil if needed.
   
   
6. Sauté for 4-5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
   
   
7. Add sautéed tomatoes and continue to process. Squeeze roasted garlic from the skins into the processor.
   
   
8. Place roasted red peppers into the processor with the other ingredients and process until ingredients are a thick puree.
   
   
9. While processor is running, slowly drizzle in the Palm oil and vinegar. Add salt to taste.

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About Chef Gerard Viverito:

Chef Viverito is the Director of Culinary Education for Passionfish, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching and promoting environmentally sound alternatives to endangered seafood species.

He travels around the world educating, consulting and demonstrating cooking using sustainable seafood products to ensure fish for our future He is a dedicated chef who has spent many years as an Executive Chef in San Diego, California, and the Virgin Islands.

Gerard has a well-honed understanding of Mediterranean cuisine as well, which he developed while spending three years in Spain, France and Italy.

Chef Viverito has taught at culinary schools and is very active in the community of local farmers and his commitment to sustainable food practices extends to his role as the director of his true food based catering company Savour Fine Catering. Chef Viverito has dedicated a large part of his career to what he terms "functional cooking."

This is where he adds nutritional ingredients to dishes to gain healthful results. He is well known for his ability to lower the glycemic index value of food, add omega fatty acids, and whole proteins to dishes without compromising the texture or taste.

He appears regularly on radio and television programs demonstrating this as well as consulting clients on their dietary needs.

For more information, www.passionfish.org

Information about Sustainable Seafood:

1. Sustainable seafood cooking that tastes great and is surprisingly nutritious: Most of the sustainable species available are actually a very high source of omega 3 and 6 compounds such as mackerel, pacific salmon, and sardines.
   
   They are often overlooked, but the fish that are lower on the food chain tend to be more nutritious [probably why they are consumed by larger predators in the ocean]
   
   
2. How to select sustainable seafood and ingredients: As paradoxical as it might seem, consumers can help save fish by eating fish! Shopping sensibly for seafood that carries the Marine Stewardship Council seal of approval helps drive market demand for products from the most responsibly managed fisheries.
   
   Similarly, patronize establishments which demonstrate commitment to sustainability. Professionals are in the best position to navigate the nuances of the topic of sustainable seafood. If nothing else, ask questions.
   
   Admittedly, accurate and balanced answers can be hard to find--and sometimes harder still to understand--but, the more that retailers sense that consumers are aware and interested, the more they will press their wholesalers for information. The wholesale level is where real leverage exists. Buy right, eat smart.
   
   
3. Easy cooking techniques for "high heat sautéing": Use portion size pieces of food that cook quickly utilizing high heat for low fat techniques such as sautéing or grilling.
   
   
4. Surprising nutrient sources from different seafood sources, herbs and others: Agave syrup: Low glycemic sweetener, from agave cactus, apple cider vinegar-helps alkaline body, lowers chances of illness, spirulina-whole food, blue green algae, complete protein, easily digestible and a great source of omega fatty acids.
   
   Malaysian Red Palm Oil: Sustainable sourced oil that can help lower cholesterol, high source of caratenoids, lycopene, vitamin a and e, very high smoke point, great color and buttery taste.