
Seared Dayboat Scallops and Pork Belly With Grits, Maxibel Beans, Pickled Sugar Baby Watermelon, Jalapeño Basil Honey, Micro Radish
Recipe courtesy of Seth Arnold, Executive Chef, West Chester Golf & Country Club (West Chester, Pa.)
Ingredients
- Pork Belly
- skinless pork belly - 1 ea.
- kosher salt - 2 qts.
- granulated sugar - 1.5 qts.
- Togarashi spice - 1 pint
- lemon juice - 1 cup
- onion - 2 ea.
- celery - 1 ea.
- carrot - 4 ea.
- chicken stock - 2 qts.
- Scallops
- U10 sea scallops - 3 ea.
- Grits
- good-quality grits - 1 cup (Chef's note: I recommend Castle Valley Mills in Doylestown, Pa.)
- water - 2 cups
- heavy cream - 1.5 cups
- Green Beans
- organic local green beans - 3 oz. (Chef's note: (I used Maxibel beans from Norwich Meadow Farm)
- Jalapeño Basil Honey
- white wine - 1 cup
- champagne vinegar - 1 cup
- water - 1 cup
- granulated sugar - 1 cup
- jalapeños - 1/2 lb., sliced thinly
- local honey - 1 cup
- basil - 1 bunch
- Pickled Watermelon
- seedless watermelon - 1 ea.
Instructions
Procedure for the Pork Belly
- Mix the salt, sugar, Togarashi spice and lemon juice together thoroughly.
- Remove pork belly from packaging. Rinse, pat dry and score the top side lightly.
- Place 1/3 of the cure in the bottom of a hotel pan; put the pork belly on top, and then pack the rest of the cure on top of that.
- Let sit for 2 days.
- After curing, rinse the pork belly thoroughly.
- Sear the pork belly in a rondeau until golden-brown.
- Remove and sweat mirepoix.
- Once mirepoix is soft, add bourbon and reduce slightly.
- Add the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Next, put the vegetable mixture in the bottom of a roasting pan; putting a wire rack on top of the vegetable, put the pork belly on the wire rack and cover with foil. The braising liquid should cover about 1/4 to 1/3 of the height of the pork belly.
- Roast for 3 hours at 350° F.
- Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and place a clean hotel pan on the pork belly. Then use something heavy to press the pork belly overnight. (Chef's note: I usually use a container of fryer oil.)
- The next day, remove from the press, and cut into 4 oz. portions for service
Procedure for the Scallops
- Pick the membrane off the scallop (if there is one).
Procedure for the the Grits
- Combine water and cream and season liberally.
- Bring to almost boiling, and add the grits in slowly.
- Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Procedure for the Beans
- Blanch in salted water for 1.5 minutes, then shock in ice water.
Procedure for the Jalapeño Basil Honey
- Combine wine, vinegar, sugar and water, then bring to a boil.
- Slice jalapeños thinly on a mandolin.
- Pour pickling liquid over jalapeño and sit until cooled.
- Once cooled, take pickled jalapeños and 2 oz. of the pickling liquid put into a blender with the honey.
- Blend until fully combined, and then add the basil while the motor is running.
Procedure for the Pickled Watermelon
- Dice watermelon into 1/2 in cubes.
- Use chilled excess pickling liquid from jalapeños to marinate the watermelon.
- I like to vacuum seal the watermelon with the liquid.
Turnout During Service
- Cut the 4 oz. piece of pork belly into 3 slices; sear in a hot pan.
- After searing first side, flip and add the 3 sea scallops to the pan.
- Sear scallops on one side, and then flip and turn off heat.
- Add beans to the pan to warm.
- In a sauce pot, warm 4 oz. of the grits slowly until hot.
To Plate
- Spoon grits into bottom of a bowl.
- Place scallops and pork belly alternating around the outside of the bowl.
- Place beans crossing into the scallops and pork belly.
- Garnish with pickled watermelon and micro greens of your choice. (Chef's note: I prefer radish for this preparation.)