"Recipes from the Chef's Kitchen"

Show 757

Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
5000 Seminary Rd.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(703) 379-2346

Tim Recher - Executive Chef

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Seared Diver Scallops
with Truffled Cream Corn & a
Warm Mushroom Herb Salad
(Serves 4)

Preparation:
1)   Iin a small sauce pot, simmer cream with the reserved corn cobs until reduced by 1/3
2)   In a sauté pan over medium high heat, melt half of the butter and add half of the garlic and
       shallots sautéing briefly until soft and translucent.
3)   Aadd reserved corn kernels and sauté for approx 2 minutes.
4)   Strain reduce corn-cream into sautéed corn and stir over low heat until cream has thickened
       and reduced.
5)   Add chopped thyme, truffle oil, and taste for seasoning.  Reserve warm.
6)   While heating half of the olive oil and remaining butter in a non-stick sauté pan over
       medium-high heat, wrap a strip of proscuitto around each scallop securing with a toothpick.
7)   Season scallops with salt & pepper and sear in hot pan.
8)   After the first side has seared to a rich brown caramelized finish, turn over, reduce heat to
       medium low and add remaining butter to the pan.
9)   Baste the scallops with the pan juices until just cooked through and reserve to rest.
10) Wipe out pan and return to high heat with the remaining olive oil.
11) Add reserved garlic, shallots, and mushrooms tossing to sear and sauté briefly.
12) Remove from heat and toss with picked herbs and season with salt & pepper as needed.
13) Place cream corn in center of a warm plate.  Spoon mushroom-herb salad in center and place
       scallops around salad.  Garnish with shaved truffle if using.

The Brine
Ingredients:
1)   1 pint Water
2)   ¼ cup Brown Sugar
3)   ¼ cup Kosher Salt
4)   1 tbs. Black Peppercorns
5)   2 Bay Leaves
6)   2 Sprigs Thyme
7)   2 Rosemary Sprigs
8)   4  Garlic Cloves - peeled and smashed
9)   Ice
10) 4 Duroc Rork Rib Chops - frenched bones 10-12 oz. each

Preparation:
1)   Combine all ingredients (except pork chops and ice) in a pot and bring to a boil.
2)   Remove from heat and add ice, stirring until cool.
3)   Add pork chops and let brine overnight in the refrigerator.

The Grits
Ingredients:
1)   1 ½ cups coarse ground Grits (not instant or quick)
2)   Kosher Salt & freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
3)   1 cup Whole Milk
4)   1 cup Chicken Stock
5)   3 oz. Goat Cheese
6)   1 tbs. chopped fresh Sage
7)   ½ tbs. whole Butter

Preparation:
1)   In a heavy sauce pot bring milk and stock to a boil.
2)   Stir in grits in a smooth stream, whisking to combine and avoid lumps.
3)   Turn to low and simmer until grits have thickened and taste soft, not gritty.
4)   Stir in goat cheese, sage, and whole butter.
5)   Taste, season, and reserve warm.

The Spinach
Ingredients:
1)   4 cups fresh Baby Spinach
2)   2 tsp. Olive Oil
3)   1 tbs. Shallot - minced
4)   ½ tsp. Garlic - minced
5)   1 tsp. Whole Butter
6)   Kosher Salt & freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
7)   Nutmeg to taste

Preparation:
1)   Heat olive oil in a sauté pan.
2)   Add shallot and garlic, sautéing quickly being careful not to burn.
3)   Add spinach and toss briefly.
4)   Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and butter stirring to melt butter.
5)   Remove from heat and reserve.

The Mustard Sauce
Ingredients:
1)   2 tsp. Olive Oil
2)   1 tbs. Shallot - minced
3)   ½ tsp. Garlic - minced
4)   3 oz. White Wine
5)   1 cup Pork Stock (Chicken or Beef Stock can be substituted)
6)   1 tbs. Whole Grain Mustard
7)   Kosher Salt & freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Preparation:
1)   Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and add shallot and garlic sautéing until soft.
2)   Add white wine and reduce by half.
3)   Add stock and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly and has reduce by approximately half.
4)   Whisk in mustard.
5)   Taste and season.
6)   Rreserve and keep warm.

To Finish
Ingredients:
1)   4 Brined Pork Chops
2)   1 tbs. Olive Oil
3)   1 tbs. Butter - divided
4)   Kosher Salt & freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
5)   1 tsp. fresh picked Thyme Leaves
6)   The Spinach and Grits
7)   The Mustard Sauce

Preparation:
1)   Place oil in a sauté pan over high heat.
2)   Remove chops from brine and dry.
3)   Season both sides of chops (remembering that the brine will add seasoning to the meat).
4)   Place chops into hot pan and allow to sear on the first side to a nice deep golden brown.
5)   turn chops over and add butter.
6)   Place chops in a 400 degree oven to finish to a nice medium well basting with the pan juices
       every few minutes.
7)   Remove chops to keep warm and rest.
8)   Remove oil from the pan and deglaze with the reserved mustard sauce.
9)   Whisk in the remaining butter to finish the sauce, tasting and re-seasoning as needed.
10) Spoon grits onto a warm plate topping with the sautéed spinach and finally the pork chop.
11) Spoon some of the sauce over the chop and around the plate.
12) Garnish with some of the thyme leaves and serve.

Good Eating!!!