Recipes
Sea Scallops with "Risotto" of Wheat Berries, Wild Rice, Leeks and Spinach
Serves 4 to 6 people
Ingredients:
12 Large Dry Sea Scallops, 1 ¼ Lbs. to 1 ½ Lbs.
½ Cup of Winter Wheat Berries
½ Cup of Wild Rice
1 Small Spanish Onion, Finely Chopped
1 - 2 Bunch of Spinach or 1 Bag of Cello Spinach, Stems Removed & Washed
2 Leeks, Trim Dark Green Top and Root Ends
2 Bay Leaves
4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Sweet Unsalted Butter
½ cup of Stock; Vegetable, Chicken, Shellfish
4 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons of Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 Tablespoon of Chopped Chives
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
In a 2-quart saucepan add 1 Tbl. of the olive oil and ½ of the chopped onion, cover and sweat for a few minutes over medium heat. Rinse the wheat berries and add to the onions along with 3 cups of cold water, 1 bay leaf, a small pinch of kosher salt and a couple twists of black pepper. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check periodically, adjusting the heat to keep it at a simmer. For maximum flavor, the goal is for the wheat berries to be tender and to have them absorb all the liquid. You may have to add a little water and cook longer, or remove the lid and increase the heat to reduce the liquid.
To prepare the wild rice follow the procedure above using the remaining onion and olive oil, but use 2 ½ cups of cold water and cook for 45 minutes.
Split the leeks lengthwise and then cut them on the bias into ½ inch strips. Place the leeks into a medium size bowl with plenty of cold water. Wash the leeks by breaking the strips apart then allowing the dirt the settle to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leeks and allow most of water to drain. Place into a 2-quart saucepan with 1 tablespoon of butter, a pinch of salt and a couple twists of black pepper. Cover and place over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes stirring a few times. Remove the lid and cook 2 minutes longer to reduce remaining liquid.
Prepare the scallops by removing the outside membrane and wrap. Clean them of any shell debris. Season the scallops with salt and black pepper and set aside. Place a 12-inch fry pan or cast iron skillet over high heat. At the same time that pan is heating up, combine wheat berries, wild rice and leeks using a 6 quart sauce pan and place that pan over medium heat stirring occasionally. If the wheat berry mixture needs more liquid, add stock of your preference then spinach and
simmer. After the fry pan is hot, add olive oil and then scallops. Adjust heat if needed. Sear a few minutes on each side. While the scallops are cooking add cream, check seasoning, and simmer another minute stirring until cream is incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano and the remaining butter. Divide wheat berry and wild rice "Risotto" onto plates and arrange the scallops around the risotto.
This recipe can be accomplished in 1 hour and 30 minutes or less if you have three saucepans with lids. If you have only one saucepan the wheat berries, wild rice and leeks can be made in stages ahead of time. The wheat berries, wild rice and leeks can be cooked and stored in the refrigerator for one or two days without loss of any flavor. This recipe is versatile, in the spring asparagus can replace the spinach, in the fall and winter roasted winter squash can replace the cream for healthier fare.
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Gnocchi with Ricotta, Roasted German Stripe Tomatoes, Prosciutto, and Spinach
Gnocchi can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days before you need them; you can even freeze them for a few weeks without loss of flavor. If you roast the tomatoes and prepare the gnocchi dough ahead of time, you can get the dish onto the table in only a few minutes, because you can boil the gnocchi and prepare the sauce simultaneously.
Roasted Tomatoes
2 pounds German Stripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch slices
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only, or 1 teaspoon dried
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sauce
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, minced
roasted tomatoes (see above)
½-¾ cup chicken stock
8-10 cups (10-ounce bag) fresh spinach, washed
and coarse stems removed
6 slices prosciutto (about 3 ounces), thinly sliced
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Gnocchi
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta
1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 egg yolks
¼ cup snipped chives
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
about 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for
dusting
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the roasted tomatoes, preheat the
oven to 300°F.
2. Place the tomatoes on a large baking sheet.
Mix the oil with the garlic, thyme, and salt and
pepper to taste. Pour this mixture over the toma-
toes. Roast until the slices have shrunk to half
their original size, which takes about 1½-2 hours.
Allow the tomatoes to cool. If you are making
them ahead of time, refrigerate until you are
ready to use them.
3. To make the sauce, in a large saute pan or
skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add
the garlic and shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add
the roasted tomatoes and stock and cook for a
couple of minutes longer, until slightly softened.
Stir in the spinach and cook until it has wilted,
about 1 minute. Set the sauce aside to finish when
the gnocchi is ready.
4. To make the gnocchi, mix the ricotta,
Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolks, chives, and
parsley in a large mixing bowl. Stir in ½ cup of
the flour. Test the mixture with your fingers. If it
is sticky, mix in another ¼ cup of flour and test
again. Add flour as needed to make a mixture
that barely coheres in a soft mass. Season it with
1 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste and turn it
out onto a pastry board thoroughly dusted with
flour.
5. Bring 3-4 quarts of water to a boil in a
large pasta pot while you work on the gnocchi.
6. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until it is
smooth and without cracks. Break off a piece of
dough about the size of a small walnut. Press it
against the back of a fork and roll it, using your
thumb, to form a gnocchi with ridges on one side
and the indentation of your thumb on the other.
Drop the test gnocchi into the boiling water. It
will sink, then rise to the surface after about 2
minutes. It should be light in texture but hold
together. If the gnocchi falls apart a little during
cooking, knead the dough for a minute or two
longer, and test again.
7. When the dough has achieved the correct
light but firm texture, divide it into 4 pieces. Roll
each piece into a sausagelike roll about 1 inch in
diameter. Slice the rolls into ¾-inch pieces.
Shape each piece as described above. Set the
shaped gnocchi onto a floured board.
8. When all the gnocchi are prepared, drop
them in batches into the boiling water. Do not
crowd the pan, because the gnocchi need room
to rise. As they reach the surface, lift them from
the pan with a slotted spoon and place on a cloth
or paper towel to drain.
9. When all the gnocchi are cooked, return the
sauce to medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
Add as many gnocchi to the sauce as you need,
and toss them gently in it. Cook for 1-2 minutes,
or just until the gnocchi and the sauce are both
hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Cut each slice of prosciutto into 2 or 3 large
pieces and stir them into the pan. Sprinkle on
the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.
(Any cooked gnocchi can be stored covered with
plastic wrap in the refrigerator.)
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