Sea Scallops with Orange-Parsnip Purée and Wisconsin Gran Queso
- 1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded Gran Queso cheese
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice
- 1 crushed bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon toasted coriander seed, ground
- ½ teaspoon crushed sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 16 large sea scallops
- 1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces
- Juice of 1 orange
- Zest of 1 orange
- ¼ pound (1 stick) butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
These Sea Scallops with Orange-Parsnip Purée and Wisconsin Gran Queso make a delicious appetizer.
- For the scallops, in a glass dish or a plastic bag, mix the olive oil, orange juice, bay leaf, coriander, sea salt, and pepper. Add the scallops; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour to marinate.
- For the orange-parsnip purée, cook the parsnips in boiling water until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain. While still hot, combine the parsnips with the juice, orange zest, butter, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. Keep warm.
- For the hazelnut butter, in a food processor, combine the hazelnuts, sugar, and salt. Process until a very smooth paste forms (the mixture is quite thick).
- To complete the recipe, heat the oven broiler to high.Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. Drain and sear the sea scallops about 3 minutes per side. Cover with the cheese. Place the pan under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling, about 1 minute. Serve 2 scallops per plate, with parsnip purée and hazelnut butter.