Warm Toasted Garlic and Lemon Vinaigrette and Some of Its Many Uses

Every now and then you realize that you have stumbled upon a culinary workhorse. It may, like in this case, be something that you have been using since the dawn of time. Or, at least since the dawn of your culinary exploration. It may be something that someone shows you and you suddenly realize that it has a multitude of uses.

It will most likely be simple. And, it should be made of things you would normally have on hand. Otherwise, what’s the use if you can’t just whip it up whenever you need it.

I have been using this warm, and impossibly simple, vinaigrette since I discovered the bounty of Provençal markets. It is perfect drizzled over a plate of sliced market fresh vegetables in any season. 

Poppy and I made a warm zucchini (courgette, for all you English folk) and summer squash slaw with some toasted almonds and tomatoes for lunch the other day and it was ‘exactly delicious’, as Poppy told me when asked how she thought it turned out.

Today, I was lucky enough to have five pounds of fresh scallops delivered to my door. I happened to mention it on Facebook and ceviche was suggested by Jason in reply. As today seemed to redefine grey, I thought that was a great idea to liven up the dreary moods moping around ours.

I was about to get into making it when I realized that I didn’t have any lime or any red onion or any fresh coriander/cilantro so I was going to have to wing it. 

I started to cut the scallops and decided to slice them very thinly instead. Then, as I was juicing the lemon, I remembered doing it the other day for the vinaigrette. All of a sudden I was digging a plate out and laying the scallops on it and getting everything ready to make the vinaigrette which was going to be drizzled over these scallops for a pretty decadent little rainy day lunch. Cue blue skies and sunshine.

Over the last few hours, I have decided that the possibilities for this little gem of a vinaigrette are almost endless - warm potato salad, drizzled over figs and goat cheese, a quick topping for a pasta. I think I could go on for a while here. I'd love to know if you find a use for it.

Warm Toasted Garlic and Lemon Vinaigrette

1 large clove of garlic julienned

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a pan, heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until it just starts to brown. This will happen quickly. Be careful not to burn it. Pour in lemon juice and stand back. When mixture starts to boil, this will happen quickly, remove from heat. Immediately drizzle over whatever you are drizzling it over.

Zucchini and Summer Squash Slaw (makes enough for 4 as an ample side dish)

1 medium zucchini

1 medium summer squash

3 small tomatoes quartered, seeded and julienned

1/2 small red onion thinly sliced

Handful of parsley leaves

1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted

Warm Toasted Garlic and Lemon Vinaigrette

Maldon sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to serve

Julienne the zucchini and summer squash or, if you have one, you can use a julienne peeler.

Put the zucchini and squash, tomato, onion and parsley leaves on a large plate or in a salad bowl. Drizzle the warm vinaigrette over. Toss to mix. Sprinkle the almonds almonds and some Maldon sea salt and black pepper on top. Eat.

Fresh Scallop Carpaccio (enough for 4 as a light appetizer)

1/2 pound fresh scallops with the tough ‘catch muscle’ removed

Finely chopped parsley

Fresh ground black pepper

Maldon sea salt

1/2 recipe Warm Toasted Garlic and Lemon Vinaigrette

Slice the scallops in 2-3 mm slices. Arrange on a serving plate, or on individual plates. Drizzle the hot vinaigrette over the top of the scallops. Top with parsley, salt and black pepper. Eat.

Yes, I do realize that there are now three scallop recipes here, here and here now but, hey, this is supposed to be about cooking in Nova Scotia. So, enjoy the bounty before I have to go somewhere else.

Sea Candy

There is a little farm in the sea near here. Just off of Snake Island, near Graves’ Island, there is a farm hanging in the water. It has been there for at least fifteen years. Not many are aware it is there. In fact, until recently, I had almost forgotten it existed.

Margaret Webb, in Apples to Oysters, writes that no one seems to know it exists. Even the Department of Fisheries and Oceans seemed to have forgotten it was there. She began to call its farmer a ghost farmer.

It is there, of that I have no question. Its produce has been making its way to the little, but lively, Chester Seaside Artisan and Farmers’ Market on Friday afternoons. Making its way in the form of mussels and live scallops, lifted from their suspended net home only hours before. 

To the uninitiated, a whole live scallop could be a little daunting. Hundreds of little eyes stare out at you, the roe, especially in the summer, is fairly large and, to most, unfamiliar. But, one taste, for any seafood lover, would surely win them over. 

We are spoiled for fresh seafood here. Stephen, before he spent much time here, would roll his eyes when, after ordering mussels or scallops somewhere else, I would complain that they weren’t very fresh or that they had been frozen. He now understands and the eye-rolling has been replaced with a raised, ‘Are you sure you want to do that?’ eyebrow if I begin to order seafood he has deemed may be dubious in origin. Chalk up one for Nova Scotia.

These scallops are the freshest of the fresh, and if you ever happen to see them in a restaurant or a fish market, get them. They are alive, they are fresh. They are divine.

I have cooked them twice this summer, once with white wine and garlic and herbs like moules marinière. The second time was on the half shell on the barbecue, which meant, that even if they weren't tastier, at least someone else, namely Stephen, would do the cooking. 

When you cook them on the half shell, the scallop flavour is concentrated as the shell is heated and it is an even more perfect ocean taste. 

I spooned a little bit of a white wine reduction with shallots and garlic and fresh herbs and butter, of course, over the scallop. Then they cook in even more loveliness and are a perfect little bite. Serve them as the main course with a couple of salads. You can also serve them as hors d’oeuvres with a little cocktail fork but make sure that you and your guests leave room for supper. 

The scallops do have to be shucked, but not removed from their shells. This is dead easy as well. None of the fuss or muss of oyster shucking. You have to have a little speed but once you get the hang of it, you will whizz through forty or so scallops in no time. They will likely be slightly open but, if not, let them sit in the sink quietly for a few minutes until they let their ‘guard down’ and open up a little. It’s like the scallop equivalent of a couple of glasses of sauvignon blanc.

I have found myself fairly inarticulate in describing how to get these little guys loosened from their shells so you can shuck the scallops like this but don’t shuck them like this, even if it is a little entertaining, because, if you have checked with your vendor, these are perfectly safe to eat whole. Don’t throw all the ‘extra’ bits away. That is what makes them so darn good.

What you want to end up with are the scallops, whole, with all their extra bits on the more cup-like side of the shell (one side is flatter than the other).

I had a ‘large’ bag of scallops, this was about forty or so. That is enough for at least six adults, we had five with leftovers, as a main course. 

I used parsley, chives, fennel fronds and a little bit of sorrel. You can use whatever fresh herbs you have, just plain old parsley would be just fine.

If you don’t have a barbecue, you can cook these under your  oven broiler/grill. You may have to adjust the cooking time. When you are cooking these on the barbecue, make sure you keep the heat as high as you can, you don’t want these to boil, you want them grilled.

Barbecued Live Scallops

1 Large bag live scallops on the half shell

1 cup white wine

2 large shallots finely chopped

1/2 cup butter

2 cloves garlic minced

Fresh herbs finely chopped

Fresh ground black pepper

Put wine in saucepan over medium heat and reduce to 1/4 cup. Add shallots, garlic and butter and simmer until shallots are translucent. Remove from heat and stir in herbs and pepper.

Heat barbecue to high heat or your oven broiler. 

Spoon a teaspoon of the wine and butter mixture over each scallop.

Place scallops, in shell, on the grill as quickly and as carefully as you can, you don't want to spill the wine and butter. Close the barbecue lid and cook for about three minutes until the ‘meat’ is opaque.

Remove from barbecue and serve.