Recipe: Make Oakland’s Local Sea Scallops with Romesco

When plating this local sea scallops recipe from Oakland’s in Hampton Bays, coat the bottom of the plate with romesco sauce. Place the escarole and bean mixture in the middle of the plate and the scallops around the greens and top with the crispy parsnips. Presentation is key.

Recipe: Oakland’s Local Sea Scallops

Ingredients:

1 container of canola oil (48 fl oz)
2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1–1.5 pounds of 10/20 dry sea scallops
1 parsnip
1 head of escarole cleaned and rough chopped
6 oz canned cannellini beans, rinsed
1/4 cup diced pancetta
1 batch of romesco sauce (directions below)
1/8 cup dry white cooking wine

For the Romesco:

2 roasted red peppers
4 cloves of garlic
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Romesco Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and run until almost pureed.

2. Drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches a thick, smooth consistency.

Main Dish Directions:

1. Heat canola oil in a pot filled halfway to the top at 350° F.

2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the entire parsnip into thin strips, deep fry until crispy remove to a paper towel save for later.

3. Coat the bottom of a nonstick pan with clarified butter, heat until almost smoking, medium heat.

4. Salt and pepper the scallops, add to the pan round side down sear for 3–5 minutes until the scallop caramelizes and turns golden brown. Turn over, remove from heat and allow to rest.

5. In a large pan, sauté the pancetta in canola oil until crispy. Remove the pancetta but leave the fat and cook the escarole in it until it is wilted. Add the cannellini beans and pancetta back in and cook until hot.

How to plate:

Coat the bottom of a plate with romesco sauce. Place the escarole and bean mixture in the middle of the plate. Place the scallops around the greens and top with the crispy parsnips

For more from Oakland’s, located at 373 Dune Road in Hampton Bays, visit oaklandsrestaurant.net.