Blackberry Fennel Scallops with Blueberry Risotto

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Prep Time1 hr 30 min
Cook Time2 hr
Serves6

These Blackberry Fennel Scallops with Blueberry Risotto are intricate and delicious with homemade blackberry powder, blackberry blackened celery, raspberry gastrique, and strawberry pickled mustard seed.

INGREDIENTS

    For the Blackberry Blackened Celery:

  • 1½ tablespoons Blackberry Powder
  • ¾ tablespoon blackening seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 3 rib celery, ½” biased cut (about 1½ cups)
  • 2 tablespoons Padella oil
  • For the Blackberry Powder:

  • 4 pints California Giant blackberries
  • For the Blueberry Risotto:

  • 1 cup California Giant blueberries, washed
  • 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • ½ cup blended vegetable oil
  • ⅓ cup scallion whites, fine chopped
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 36 oz vegetable broth/stock
  • 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt
  • ½ cup goats cheese
  • ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • For the Raspberry Gastrique:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 cup California Giant raspberries
  • ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • For the Strawberry Brined Mustard Seed:

  • ½ cup mustard seed
  • ¾ cup California Giant strawberries, destemmed
  • 1 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • For the Blackberry Fennel Scallop & Assembly:

  • 1 tablespoon fennel pollen
  • 1 tablespoon Blackberry Powder
  • 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 12 ea U10 dry sea scallops, foot removed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • ½ cup Raspberry Gastrique, room temperature
  • 3 cups Blueberry Risotto, prepared
  • 1½ cups Blackberry Blackened Celery, prepared
  • 4 tablespoons Strawberry Pickled Mustard Seed, chilled slightly
  • Microgreens/flowers, as needed

DIRECTIONS

  • For the Blackberry Blackened Celery:

      • Mix in a bowl half the oil, blackening seasoning, blackberry powder, sugar and celery, and toss to coat evenly.
      • In a medium sauté pan over high heat, add remaining oil. Once oil is hot, gently lay coated celery in pan and sear for about 1 minute. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
      • Adjust seasoning as needed.
      • Set aside.
  • For the Blackberry Powder:

      • Set oven to 400 degrees, high fan.
      • Place blackberries in a single layer on a parchment lined sheet tray and roast in oven for 2 hours or until blackberries are dried of all moisture. Let cool to room temperature.
      • Next, add to a blender and process until a smooth powder forms, sift if needed.
      • Store in an air tight container and reserve for alternate recipes.
  • For the Blueberry Risotto:

      • Put the blueberries in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Let them cook on a low fire for 10 minutes or until the blueberries come apart. Blend them into a smooth paste and sieve them. Keep this purée aside.
      • Place broth in a saucepan and heat up to 180 degrees. Broth must be hot during the risotto process.
      • In a large flat-bottomed rondeau, add oil. Once warm add chopped green onion whites and cook until translucent. Next add rice and stir to coat so that all grains are coated. Cook until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
      • Next, over high heat, carefully add red wine all at once – it will flame up – cook until alcohol has cooked off and reduced.
      • Now, over medium-high heat, add vegetable broth in 6oz increments to the pan, stirring aggressively to aid the absorption of broth and to agitate the starches, adding more as the liquid absorbs into the rice. Continue this until rice is cooked to desired texture. You may not need all the liquid.
      • Once rice is about 80% done, add ½ cup of blueberry puree. (Use more if a darker color is desired)
      • Once rice has achieved desired texture, remove from heat and fold in goats’ cheese, salt, pepper, remaining butter & lemon zest. Fold until smooth and creamy.
      • Season to taste as needed.
  • For the Raspberry Gastrique:

      • Combine sugar, water and raspberries in small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and raspberries start to soften. Continue to cook for about 8 minutes, swirling gently to help mixture cook evenly.
      • Add vinegar all at once (mixture will boil very rapidly). Continue to cook until sugar is re-dissolved, about 3 minutes.
      • Add salt to pan and reduce until slightly syrupy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
      • 5. Cook until raspberries have broken down slightly and mixture is bright red with the texture of light maple syrup. If you want a smooth sauce, you can strain it though a fine mesh sieve. Otherwise, remove from heat and season to taste with salt.
  • For the Strawberry Brined Mustard Seed:

      • Place fresh strawberries into food processor and pulse until smooth.
      • Place the mustard seeds in a small pot, cover with cold water, and bring the liquid to a boil. Strain the mustard seeds, discarding the water, and repeat this process 3 more times.
      • In the same pot, combine ½ cup of cold water with the vinegar, sugar, salt, ½ cup of strawberry puree, and the blanched mustard seeds. Bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat. Pour the contents into a small sealable container and refrigerate it overnight.
      • When you’re ready to use the pickled mustard seeds, scoop them from the brine, straining off any excess liquid.
  • For the Blackberry Fennel Scallop & Assembly:

      • Mix the first 3 ingredients until well incorporated.
      • Lay scallops on a clean linen and dust only the tops of scallops with mixture, pressing mixture through your fingertips as you dust the scallops to release oils and flavors from spices.
      • Put a large saute pan over medium high heat and add oil. Once oil is about to reach the smoking point, remove pan from heat and gently add scallops to the oil, seasoned side down and put pan back onto heat.
      • Allow scallops to sear for about 2 minutes or until golden brown (do not burn).
      • Once golden, flip scallops and turn heat to low and add butter. Tilt and baste tops of scallops for 30 seconds using melted pan butter until glossy and cooked. Turn off heat. Scallops should be medium inside.
      • Pull scallops from pan and let rest on a clean linen to soak up excess butter.
      • Lay out chosen vessels for plating. On each plate add 1/6 of raspberry Gastrique and hit with a light brush stroke.
      • Next split risotto & celery amongst plates. Gently place 2 ea scallops on each plate, golden brown side up.
      • Garnish with pickled mustard seeds and microgreen.

Follow your berries to the farm.

Locate the 16-Digit Trace code.​ Enter the trace back code from your berries to learn about where they were grown. Too bad we can’t deliver the fresh fragrance, too!