In yesterday’s blog, we talked about how challenging it is to pair wine with asparagus, and offered Sauvignon Blanc as a world champion pairing partner.
But without some help, you may well have some leftover wine. What to do with that other half-bottle of Sauvignon Blanc? Serve it with this tantalizing dish (which also matches nicely with Torrontes and Viognier).
This recipe yields 4 servings.
SEARED SCALLOPS
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 lbs. large sea scallops
- 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- Cooking spray
- 1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier or Torrontes
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Preparation
- Prepare orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Return to pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon chives, olive oil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Keep warm.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat scallops with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Combine wine, shallots and vinegar in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, or until liquid reduces to 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat to low. Add butter cubes, 1 at a time, whisking after each addition until butter is fully incorporated.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon chives, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
- Serve scallops with sauce and orzo.
