Diver Scallops with Blood Orange Sauce

By danand

This is a fancy appetizer that is really quite easy to do. The "wow" factor in this one is all in the plating -- and in the quality of your ingredients. You can double or triple this recipe easily to make this a main course.

Ingredients

• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 4 large diver scallops, the largest you can find
• 4 Flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves
• Strained juice from 2 blood oranges
• 1 T. orange blossom honey, although any light-colored honey will do
• Salt
• 2 t. tobiko, flying fish caviar

Preparation

Step 1

Salt the scallops and set aside to come to room temperature.

In a wide frying or saute pan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. As soon as it stops frothing, add the scallops. Space them far enough apart so they do not touch.

Sear them until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Slip the parsley leaves into the remaining butter to fry them. If there is not enough butter left over to float the leaves a little, add more. Fry for one minute and remove to a paper towel.

Add orange juice to the pan and deglaze it -- scrape any stuck-on bits off -- with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to high and reduce the butter and orange juice until it is syrupy. You will know when this is because your wooden spoon will leave a temporary trail through the pan when drawn across it.