Instant Smoked Scallops with Orange-and-Onion Sauce

Name: Instant Smoked Scallops with Orange-and-Onion Sauce
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 seedless orange; 1 tomato; 2 tbsp. Chopped red onion; 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro; 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar; 1 1/2 tbsp. virgin olive oil; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper; 12 large sea scallops; 1 tsp. corn oil; c. hickory, cherry or, maple wood chips or sawdust

By Jacques PepinPublished: Sep 3, 2008

2 Ratings

Yields:

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Recipe courtesy of Jacques Pepin.

This recipe illustrates a special technique of smoking scallops, although the same process can be used to smoke other fish and shellfish. When the smoker is placed on a hot burner of an electric or gas stove, the chips or sawdust in the bottom will emit enough smoke and generate enough heat to flavor and cook the fish in a few minutes. Since the amount of wood and the length of cooking time determine the amount of smoke created, you can make adjustments. The scallops here are smoked lightly, as I prefer them, but you can smoke them longer for a heavier taste of smoke, if that is more to your liking.

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Ingredients

Orange-and-Onion Sauce:

1 seedless orange
1 tomato
2 Tbsp. Chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

Smoked Scallops:

12 large sea scallops
1 tsp. corn oil
cup hickory, cherry or, maple wood chips or sawdust

Directions

1. Step 1To make the sauce: Peel the orange down to the flesh, and cut enough of the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces to make 1/2 cup. Squeeze enough juice from the remaining flesh to measure 2 tablespoons. Place the orange flesh and juice in a small bowl, and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Mix well, and set aside at room temperature.
2. Step 2To make the scallops: Wash the scallops under cool water, removing and discarding any white sinews attached to them. Dry the scallops well, and place them in a bowl with the corn oil.
3. Step 3Arrange the wood chips or sawdust in the bottom of a smoker, place a screen 1 inch above the chips, and scatter the scallops in one layer over the screen. Cover the smoker, and cook the scallops over high heat for about 1 minute, then reduce the heat to low, and cook 4 minutes longer. (The smoker will be full of smoke, and some of the smoke will escape, but the scallops should not burn.)
4. Step 4Set the smoker aside off the heat, and let the scallops cool, still covered, for 10 minutes. Remove the scallops from the smoker. (They will be lightly cooked and have a golden yellow exterior.)
5. Step 5Divide the sauce among four plates. Cut the scallops in half, and arrange six halves on top of the sauce in the center of each plate. Serve immediately.