Drunken Scallops-The Red Rooster

By amaliana

Rhode Island has had many wonderful restaurants that have closed their doors after a long run. Because many of these owners and chefs shared a favorite recipe in the Chef's Secret feature that began in 2002, the memories live on in a tasty way. Some of these recipes are remembered here.
No restaurant was more beloved than The Red Rooster in North Kingston. After it closed, one of the former chefs, Jeff Cooke, went to a new job at Hanson's Landing Waterfront Restaurant in Wakefield, also now closed. He shared this recipe for Drunken Scallops for a reader back in 2003.
Of course, Normand Leclair, the founder and retired owner of the Red Rooster, wrote the cookbook "Culinary Expressions" which is still available at culinaryexpressionscookbook.com.
Gail Chiampa
Providence Journal, Friday October 21, 2011

Ingredients

• 20 to 30 (or 8 ounces) sea scallops(side muscle removed)
• 1 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1 pinch Tri-Mix(see recipe)
• 2 tablespoons Seafood Crumbs(see recipe)
• 2 tablespoons Garlic Butter(see recipe)
• 1 scallion, sliced thinly on bias

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place scallops in an individual-size baking dish. Pour in vermouth. Sprinkle pinch of Tri-Mix over scallops.
Place on top shelf of oven for about 5 minutes. Scallops should be about half-way done, just starting to turn more solid white.
Spread Seafood Crumbs evenly over the top and replace in oven for 3 minutes. Crumbs should be turning a golden brown. Top with Garlic Butter and replace in oven for 1 minute. The compound butter should just be starting to melt, leaving a creamy effect. Top with scallions and serve.

Tri-Mix
3 parts kosher salt
1 part table grind black pepper
1 part granulated garlic

Add all ingredients and mix well

Garlic Compound Butter
1 stick butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of freshly chopped parsley

Stir all ingredients into the softened butter

Seafood Crumbs
4 ounces Ritz Cracker crumbs, coarse
Pinch chopped parsley
Shake of paprika
Splash of Sherry
Clarified butter

Add dry ingredients together, then stir in sherry, then enough butter to desired moisture level.