Seared Scallops With Vegetable Stir Fry, Wild Rice, & Ginger Soy Glaze

Ingredients (serves 4)

16 sea scallops
1 1/2 c wild rice
1 large carrot
1 bulb celery root
1/2 c chopped scallion
1 red onion
1 white onion
1/4 lb Brussels sprouts
1 orange
1 small piece of ginger
1 bay leaf
1 c soy sauce
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
1 package of wonton wrappers
2 c vegetable oil

Glaze

First, zest the orange and ginger, then cut into small pieces. In a medium saucepot, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, orange zest, bay leaf, and both kinds of sugar. Reduce all these ingredients on medium high heat, stirring often, making sure not to allow the mixture to boil. Once it reduces and thickens — in about 20 minutes — strain the glaze through a fine strainer and place it in the fridge to allow it to set.

Method

First, cut the carrot, celery root, red onion, and Brussels sprout. You will want to use a mandolin if you are looking to achieve the long, thin vegetable cuts needed for a stir fry.

Once your vegetables are ready, dice half the white onion, sauté it in a tablespoon of vegetable oil, and add the rice and three cups of water. Cover and stir periodically — every five minutes — for about 30 minutes. You will know it’s done when the rice starts to split.

While that’s cooking, you have time to fry the wonton garnish. In a medium-sized sauce pot heat the remainder of the vegetable oil to about 350 degrees. Take about 20 of the paper-thin wonton sheets and cut them into strips lengthwise. Very carefully place them in the hot oil for about 40 seconds, or until they start to brown. Once they are crisp, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel.

For the scallops and the stir fry, you will need a sauté pan and a wok. If you don’t have a wok, another sauté pan will work fine. Get both pans very hot. For the scallops, first salt and pepper them before placing them in about two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a hot sauté pan. They need to cook for just a minute on each side.

Cook the vegetables in your wok or pan in two tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the chopped scallion halfway through.

Spoon some of the stir fry over the rice, top it with the scallops, and drizzle the glaze on top. Finish it with the crispy wontons and enjoy.