Grilled Scallops with Sweet Chili Sauce
Serves 6
From the book Good Food No Fuss by Anne Willan
Chili Sauce:
1 lemon grass stem, peeled and cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small red chili, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 inch piece of ginger root, sliced
3-4 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Combine the lemon grass, garlic, chili, ginger and cilantro in a food processor and work to a course paste.
In a heavy saucepan gently heat the water and sugar until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Boil the syrup to boiling without stirring until it cooks to a light golden carmel color. Lower the heat and continue cooking until the carmel is a deep golden color. Plunge the base of the pan in cold water to stop carmel from cooking.
Add the vinegar and heat, stirring, until the carmel dissolves (stand back as vinegar will sting your eyes.) Stir in the lemon grass/chili paste, then the fish sauce and soy. Set the sauce aside.
Creme Fraiche
Stir together in a saucepan, 3 cups of heavy cream, 1 cup buttermilk and the juice of one lemon.
Heat gently, stirring, until just below body temperature. Pour the cream into a container and partly cover it. Keep in a warm place until it thickens and developes a slightly tart flavor; this will take from 12-24 hours.
Commercial Creme Fraiche may also be purchased at gourmet stores and Trader Joe's.
Scallops
18-24 large sea scallops
dark sesame oil, for brushing
salt and pepper
bunch of watercress, washed and dried
1/2 cup creme fraiche
Heat the broiler and brush rach with sesame oil. Discard the small ligament at the side of the white meat of the scallop. Pat scallops dry and brush with more oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Broil the scallops about 2 inches from heat until they start to brown but are still translucent in the center, 1-2 minutes, on each side.
Arrange a bed of watercress on 6 individual plates. Add the scallops and top with a spoonful of creme fraiche. Drizzle generously with sweet chili sauce. Serve at once.