On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 12:46:53 -0600, Michael Odom >
wrote:

>My daughter turned 21 the other day. I'm older than I once was, but
>no matter.
>
>She picked scallops at the Whole Foods fish counter for her birthday
>dinner, instructing me to cook them with a light sauce that wouldn't
>mask their flavor. Sides were to be angel hair pasta with pesto and
>roasted asparagus with garlic and lemon and olive oil.
>
>I'd been reading Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles cookbook that
>afternoon, getting properly inspired to do a decent meal. His
>tough-guy commands about a proper mise en place got me thinking about
>how inefficient I am in the kitchen. So I took to the task with every
>intention of getting organized.
>
>Butter out and softened. Check.
>
>Veg trimmed and washed. Check.
>
>Garlic chopped and handy to the cook top. Check.
>
>Lemons cut for juicing. Check.
>
>Wine cork popped. Check.
>
>Salt and pepper ready at hand. Check.
>
>Pasta water hot. Check.
>
>Skillet oiled and heating on the stove. Check.
>
>That last one was trouble, it turned out. During my efficiency
>experiment, I neglected the skillet while I drained the pasta and
>tossed it with the pesto. It had to do with switching out the rinsed
>and drained scallops (Check) with the angel hair in the collander. I
>only have the one collander, you see.
>
>I knew the skillet was way hot. But holy flamola! When I set the
>scallops in it, flames shot up to the vent hood. The smoke detector
>in the hall outside the kitchen went off. The hair on my knuckles
>vaporized. The dogs ran from the room. It looked like something on
>Iron Chef. Like something on Iron Chef on acid.
>
>The birthday girl stopped the wailing smoke alarm. I recovered my
>wits and seared the scallops till they caramelized lightly on both
>sides. Setting them in the warming oven, I deglazed the pan with a
>dash of white wine, reduced it some, incorporated about 3 tablespoons
>of butter (off heat, natch) and plated it all.
>
>They were delicious, lightly crusted top and bottom, warm and tender
>in the center, buttery and sweet with the sauce on top. It turned out
>to be a lovely meal with a light sparkling white wine.
>
>But I gotta work on my mise.
>
>
Bravo. You didn't get discouraged and they probably came out better
than if you had sauteed gently. I do them that way by choice without
putting fat in the CI pan.




Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

Entering your freshman dorm for the first time, and seeing
an axe head come through the door on your right.