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Edamame would work well if you don't like lima beans
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We had a hankering for scallops so we drove to the fish market in Elmira late in the day and came home with 8 beautiful sea scallops, including a pink one, which they said was a female and sweeter. In the fridge, I had a partial container of cubed butternut squash leftover from a ho-hum butternut apple cider soup I made last week. And some pancetta. And not much else but some frozen vegetables. Not even milk for cereal. Needed to do a major shopping trip but procrastinating due to Covid.
Sometimes good things come out from what you have on hand.
Decadent and filling. Three scallops would have been plenty, instead of four. fyi - Tom says he couldn't tell the difference with the female and the male scallops.
Tom said I should definitely put this on the blog. Which means he’d like it again sometime.
So here it is.
—Barbara
Scallops with Pancetta, Pureed Butternut Squash and Lima Beans
Serves 2 generously
6 to 8 sea scallops, muscle removed
pinch of smoked paprika
1 T. oil plus 1 T. olive oil
1 -1.5 lb. butternut squash, cubed (storebought)
1 shallot, sliced
2 - 4 ounces pancetta, diced (storebought)
1/2 to 1 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 - 1.5 cups frozen lima beans
1 T. butter plus 1 T. olive oil
1/2 t. dried tarragon
1/4 t. dried roasted garlic
2 T. water
For the pureed squash:
In a large saucepan with a cover, render the pancetta, remove the browned cubes to paper towel on a plate. Set aside.
In the remaining fat (should be 1 - 2 T.), add the shallot, saute for a minute, add the cubed squash, and saute for a few minutes until squash is well coated with the fat.
Add a splash of wine, deglaze the pan, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed.
Add more wine, deglaze, cover and cook until absorbed again.
Again, add more wine, deglaze, cover and cook until absorbed.
Repeat if needed until squash is cooked.
Using a hand blender, puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper if needed.
For the lima beans:
In a small saucepan with a cover, heat the oil and the butter, add the lima beans and saute until the beans are well coated with the fat.
Sprinkle with tarragon and roasted garlic and salt and pepper.
Add 2 T. water, cover and simmer on low until cooked, but al dente. About 5 minutes
Remove cover and continue cooking until liquid is absorbed.
Set aside, but keep warm.
For the scallops:
Season the scallops (be sure the muscle has been removed) with salt. Sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Melt oil and butter until hot on medium high in a small heavy saucepan. Turn on the stove fan.
Add the scallops in one layer. Do not touch for 3 minutes.
Flip carefully and continue to cook until opaque, most likely 3 more minutes, depending on the size of the sea scallops.
Season with salt and pepper.
To the bottom of a deep plate, add a generous amount of pureed squash, add scallops, surround with lima beans and top with crunchy pancetta.
B
