This dish celebrates the bounty of harvest and the beauty of the coast, with seafood, autumn vegetables and Central Coast Pinot Noir from Brewer-Clifton.
For the Scallops
Ingredients
- 12-16 large sea scallops
- Salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- Spaghetti squash strands, for serving, recipe follows
Method
- Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over high heat. When the oil is smoking hot, add the scallops and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the second side until just cooked, another 1 to 2 minutes.
For the Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1 large spaghetti squash, about 1 ½ pounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cut the stem from the squash and cut into two, lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Season generously with salt and white pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap each piece individually in aluminum foil. Place on a baking pan, cut side up, and roast until the flesh is almost fully tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and let cool before fluffing the squash with a fork, separating the spaghetti-like strands into a bowl. Keep warm.
For the Soy-Yuzu Broth
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 to 3 sprigs thyme, broken at the last minute
- 2 sprigs rosemary, broken at the last minute
- 3 or 4 pieces konbu
- 2 green Thai chiles, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon allspice berries, crushed
- ½ ounce microwave popcorn, cooked for 2 ½ minutes until a little burnt, 1 cup
- 3 to 4 tablespoons bonito flakes
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons yuzu juice
- Salt
Method
- In a medium saucepan, combine the thyme, rosemary, konbu, chiles, allspice, popcorn, bonito, soy and yuzu. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let sit for another 5 minutes before straining through a fine mesh strainer, pushing on the solids to extract all of the flavor. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy, yuzu or salt as needed, then measure 2 cups of broth for serving.
To Serve
Ingredients
- Red finger chiles, seeded and minced, for garnish
- Roasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Minced chives, for garnish
- Soy-yuzu broth, recipe follows
- Fleur de sel, optional, for garnish
Method
- Spoon the squash into a 5-inch circle in four warm bowls or plates. Arrange the scallops on top and scatter with chiles, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and chives. Carefully ladle the soy-yuzu broth around the squash or pour into a pitcher and serve at the table.
I love cooking with the seasons and using ingredients at their peak. For this recipe, I incorporate sea scallops, spaghetti squash, roasted pumpkin seeds and other fragrant condiments, making it the perfect fall dish. It can be served as an appetizer or an entrée, depending on the number of scallops you serve. In all my dishes, I love adding acidity and spice, which is why you’ll see finger chiles and a soy-yuzu broth in this recipe. It’s an honor to be able to share this recipe with the Jacques Pépin Foundation for the Video Recipe Book. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do. Bon appétit!