Stephanie Izard’s Seared Scallops and Bacon-Braised Swiss Chard
Up to 1 hour ahead: Bring the vinaigrette up to room temperature while preparing the tomatoes.
Cook time: Sear the scallops
Ingredients
Seared Scallops with Tomatoes and Truffled-Poblano Vinaigrette4 Servings
For the Truffled-Poblano Vinaigrette:
2 poblano peppers
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup white truffle oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the scallops:
2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes (about 1 pound)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 large sea scallops, side muscles removed
2 tsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. butter
For the Bacon-Braised Swiss Chard:
2 slices bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch strips
½ cup diced red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 lbs. swiss chard, stemmed, leaves torn into large pieces
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Preparation
To make the vinaigrette:
• Preheat a grill to medium-high or turn on a gas-powered stovetop burner.
• Char the peppers until blackened on all sides, turning several times.
• Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let cool.
• Remove the charred skins from the peppers. Cut off the stems and slice the peppers in half to scrape out and discard the seeds.
• In a blender, combine the vinegar, egg yolk, mustard and honey, and pulse together. With the blender running, add the olive oil and truffle oil in a slow drizzle through the opening in the lid until a thick emulsion forms.
• Add the roasted peppers and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate until needed.
To make the scallops:
• Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and vinegar in a medium bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Set aside until ready and serve.
• Pat the scallops dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over high heat. • Add the scallops to the hot pan. (Avoid overcrowding the scallops in the pan. If they are too close together, they will steam instead of sear. Sear them in batches if the pan is not big enough to hold them all at once.)
• Let the scallops brown for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until a brown crust forms. • Add the butter to the pan.
• Turn the scallops over to brown the other sides. While browning, spoon the melted butter over the tops of the scallops to baste them.
• Remove them from the pan once you’ve basted them well and all the edges are nice and browned.
• To serve, put a spoonful of the vinaigrette on each plate, offset from the center. Add 3 scallops to each plate and a few heaping teaspoons of the tomatoes next to the scallops.
To make the Bacon-Braised Swiss Chard:
• Heat a Dutch oven or a large saute pan with high sides over medium heat.
• Add the bacon and render the fat.
• When most of the fat is rendered from the bacon and it begins to crisp, add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes longer.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Add the chard, soy sauce, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Stir until the chard wilts, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning, and serve hot.
