When I was still working the restaurants, the majority of us did not eat after work. The guys working regular shifts could often be heard walking out the door after closing. “How bout you go to the club with us tonight?” They would ask. ” No thanks.” I’d reply. ” Y’all have fun.” I was way too exhausted to go anywhere, nevermind the fact that I had to be back up there in 4 hours to start all over again. Yes, that was my regular schedule in essentially every restaurant, 7 am-2 or 3 am. Restaurant hours are crazy for most of us, encouraging the nightly dinners that consisted of some form of alcohol and cigarettes. I survived off a handful of fries and maybe a piece of bacon or I absolutely had to taste test something. As cooks and chefs, our diets are horrible. We work long hellish hours, by the end of the night your hands and arms are riddled with cuts and bruises, swollen from the searing hot flames of the grill and charred meats you constantly temp check by reaching over the giant 500° grill and pressing on the center of each protein. Youre dehydrated and coated in sweat…but youre happy. The fact that not a single plate came back made it all worth it, worth the pain and extreme temperatures you endure for hours at a time, the cuts and burns. It is an amazing feeling, but I’m rambling again. So, I still have days I do not want to cook after a long exhausting day at work and I’m physically drained. This is one of my go to recipes when I’m just not into it. It’s fast, elegant and simple. I hope you enjoy it.
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbs shallot sliced thin
1 slice thick cut bacon, chopped
½ tbs sweet cream unsalted butter
1 c frozen sweet peas plus ⅓, cooked
½ tsp mint
¼ c chicken stock
1 tbs lemon juice
Salt and white pepper to taste
8 medium to large scallops (4 pp)
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Cook bacon and shallot in oil and butter. Set aside and drain off most of the oil. Begin by adding 1 c sweet peas, chicken stock, mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a blender. Emulsify the mixture until smooth. Spoon onto the center of your serving plate. In a seperate bowl, toss ⅓ c peas, shallots and bacon together and set aside. When you prepare your scallops, make sure to press and moisture into a rag or paper towels so you accomplish the sear you want instead of steaming them in their own juices. Swason both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the same pan you cooked the shallots and bacon in over medium high heat. Almost immediately you’re going to add the scallops. Refrain from flipping them constantly and just allow them to caramelize on the bottom, about 5 minutes or so. Flip them over and sear the opposite side. You’ll know they are ready when the opaque white color crawls up the sides of the almost translucent scallops. Once done, arrange on the display of pureed peas. Spoon the bacon mixture over the top and there you have it. A super simply weeknight meal that is fast yet still somewhat elegant. You can serve this with some crusty French bread.
Girl-Chef Tastes 