Seared Scallops & Fennel Salad

Serves: 2-3

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 20 min

If you don’t know TwayDaBae, you should. She’s a fantastic classically trained chef who does a Vietnamese twist to her dishes. I came across her video on Instagram and just had to try this yummy seared scallop dish.

1 large shallot, diced

2 stalks lemongrass, tender centers only, thinly sliced

3 birds eye chillies, thinly sliced

1 cup white wine

1 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

Salt and pepper, to season

Lime juice, to season

1 large stalk fennel

Drizzle olive oil

Salt and pepper

~1 tbs lime zest, to season

Scallops, pat dried and seasoned

1 sprig thyme

1 tbs butter

Vietnamese coriander, to garnish

Instructions

1. Take a large saute pan and place it on the stove on medium heat. Add in your shallots, lemongrass, and chillies, and sweat them.

2. Then add the wine, bring it to a simmer and turn the heat down to low. Let the mixture reduce to half.

3. Cut the bottom (white part) of the fennel into thin slices and toss it into an ice bath to keep it fresh and crispy.

4. Next, julienne a handful of vietnamese coriander and set it aside for later.

5. Strain the sauce mixture, and add it back into the pan. Then add in the butter and once the butter has completely melted, turn off the heat and keep stirring so that sauce doesn’t break.

6. Add in 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, a sprinkle of salt, and lime juice.

7. Pat dry your scallops, and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

8. Cook on high heat for 1 min on each side (make sure the pan is already hot before searing). Then add in a sprig of thyme and 1 tbs butter and make sure to baste with the juices in the pan. Turn off the heat.

9. Take your chilled fennel slices and place into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and add about 1 tbs of lime zest.

10. Chop up the fennel leaves finely, add the cilantro + mint (if you don’t have Vietnamese coriander), and toss well together.

11. Plate your entree by adding the beurre blanc sauce to the bottom on a deep plate, add a handful of the fennel salad to the center, sprinkle your julienned coriander on top, and add your scallops to the side. Enjoy!

NOTE: If you don’t have access to Vietnamese coriander, you can substitute for half cilantro and half mint.