author: sarahamiller
created: 2005-02-19 23:01:01
servings: 4
notes:
This recipe comes from a book that Sarah Jane gave me and Patrick this year: The Philosopher's Kitchen. The author, Francine Segan, has slightly modified recipes from ancient Greek and Roman sources. No garrum (rotten fish sauce) here. Probably for this reason, unlike a few other "ancient" cook books I have, the recipes in this one are actually really good. Thanks, Sarah! I made this for Valentine's day dinner...perfect for something a little fancy. Slightly fussy, but beautiful to look at and better to eat.
recipe:
2 cups arugula leaves (if you can find them pre-washed it makes the whole pesto-thing much quicker) 1 cup fresh mint leaves 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup heavy cream some water salt and fresh pepper 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops grated zest of 1 lemon 1. Reserve a few arugula leaves for garnish (if you're going for the fussy version). Puree the remaining arugula, mint, and 3 tablespoons of oil in a food processor until smooth. (The recipe says to use a blender, but my blender doesn't chew up the stems of the veins in the arugula like my food processor does.) Add cheese and blend. Simmer cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until is starts to boil. With blender running, drizzle the cream into the arugula puree in a slow stream until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add some water if you think the consistency is too thick. Cover to keep warm while you cook the scallops. 2. In a large skillet, warm remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fry until just golden (this happens very quickly). Transfer the garlic crisps to a paper towel to drain. Raise the heat to high. Pat scallops dry, season with lots of salt and pepper, and saute, turning once (1-2 minutes per side). Don't overcook the scallops. 3. Slice the reserved arugula leaf into thin ribbons. To serve, pour the arugula pesto onto 4 serving plates and top with the sea scallops. garnish with garlic crisps, arugula ribbons, and lemon zest.