Modern Foraging – Seared Scallops, Sautéed Leeks, Asparagus, and Snow Pea Leaves

Foraging is the art of going out in the wild to search for items to consume; think searching for wild mushrooms. If you read food magazines, you know it has become very popular lately. You can even take classes on local foraging in a lot of areas. A year or two ago my wife Marci and I had a fancy meal at Blue Hills at Stone Barns, and one of the many courses included “foraging” on a plate of twigs and leaves for bites to eat. While I am not sure that any of the ingredients were actually foraged, I found the whole concept of the dish pretty silly.

I’m not all about foraging in the wild; too much effort. But I am very interested in garden foraging and fridge foraging. I define these as looking in the garden or refrigerator to inspire a full meal, based on what is available. Last weekend, I did just that. Since it’s still early in the garden season and only a few vegetables and herbs are coming up, I had to rely on refrigerator foraging more than I would have liked. Nonetheless, I came up with four tasty small plates to enjoy on a Saturday night.

Arugula Salad with Asian Pear, Toasted Pecans, and Goat Cheese

My arugula is slow to emerge this year, but there was enough for a few servings left in the fridge from last week. I thought its spiciness would work nicely with a crisp, sweet Asian pear sitting on the counter. Some pecans, which are always in the freezer, would add nice crunch when toasted. And creamy goat cheese rounded out the salad. I made a quick dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard, with a bit of thyme snipped from the herb garden.

Trio of Mushrooms

We almost always have mushrooms in the refrigerator and on Saturday I found three different kinds. I decided to make a trio of mushrooms with three different presentations.

The first was Quick-pickled Beech Mushrooms. I quickly sautéed the tiny beech mushrooms in a tiny bit of oil, and then chilled them in a mixture of rice vinegar, sushi vinegar, sesame oil, and cilantro, with a sprinkle of red chili flakes to add some spice. I topped them with pretty red beet sprouts just emerging in the garden.

King Trumpet Mushroom Yakatori from Bon Appetit magazine, is a simple but elegant preparation that highlights the meatiness of the grilled mushrooms with a sweet-salty glaze. I make one simple modification of the original recipe, substituting Chinese cooking wine for the sake.

I also served Shitake Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce with Baby Scallions. For this recipe, modified from Saveur’s Bok Choy with Black Mushrooms, I use fresh shitakes, rather than dried, since they have more heft and are now widely available at most supermarkets. I’ve made the recipe with bok choy many times, but for tonight, the mushrooms were on their own.

Avocado Salad with Seared Corn and Shrimp, Lime Cream, Baby Cilantro, and Baby Radishes

One of my favorite summer soups is Chilled Avocado Soup with Seared Chipotle Shrimp from Cooking Light. I had some new round metal food molds that I wanted to try, so I thought of deconstructing this soup and making it into a vertical avocado salad. My first attempt didn’t look terrible, and it tasted delicious, especially with the addition of baby cilantro and baby radishes from the garden, and a sliver of spicy red chili.

Seared Scallops on a Bed of Leeks with Sautéed Asparagus and Snow Pea Leaves

With garden leeks still growing from last summer and ready to be eaten, I knew I wanted to cook them down and use them as a bed for seared scallops. The scallops were the one item I had to run out to buy. There were a few asparagus ready to be picked, and I knew that snow pea leaves – which needed to be thinned in the garden anyway – would be a delicious match. If you’ve never had snow pea leaves, they have a slight pea taste and can be quickly cooked as with any delicate green. They are one of my favorite menu items in a Chinese restaurant, when I can find them.

If you’re lucky enough to grow snow peas, harvest a few of the tender leaves when they are still young. If they get too old, they are tough and stringy. If you do not grow snow peas, Asian markets often have them, especially in spring.

When searing sea scallops, it is important to purchase dry scallops. Wet scallops have been treated with a chemical to extend their shelf life and help them retain water and therefore weigh more. As they cook, this water exudes and steams the scallop, making a sear virtually impossible. Your fishmonger will let you know if the scallops they have for sale are wet or dry.

2 servings as a small plate, about 30 minutes

2 large leeks, white and light green parts chopped

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 Tbsp. butter, divided

½ cup dry white wine

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

4 dry sea scallops

6 spears asparagus, woody part removed and cut into 1 inch segments

1 small bunch snow pea leaves

1. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and ½ Tbsp. butter to a medium skillet. Heat on low until the butter melts.
2. Add the chopped leeks and sauté slowly until leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes. Add a ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. If leeks start to brown, add white wine a tablespoon at a time, adding more as necessary. Set aside until just before you cook the scallops.
3. Add the asparagus to the leeks and cook on medium-high, stirring until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. If liquid is needed to cook the asparagus, add a tablespoon of wine. Remove the asparagus to a plate.
4. Add the snow pea leaves to the leeks, stirring and cooking for about 1 to 2 minutes. They should turn bright green and be barely cooked. Add a touch more wine as needed. Put the snow pea leaves on the plate.
5. Spread leeks on the plate.
6. Place the scallops on a separate plate and gently blot dry with a paper towel; if they are moist, they will not sear. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on both sides of the scallops.
7. Heat a medium-sized skillet on medium-high and add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and ½ Tbsp. butter. When the butter melts and no longer bubbles and as the first wisps of smoke begin to rise from the pan, add the scallops. The key to getting a good crusty sear is to leave the scallops alone for about 1½ to 2 minutes untouched. Do not move them, poke them, or prod them. Just leave them.
8. After about 1½ minutes, if they look seared, flip the scallops and sear the other side without moving for another 1½ to 2 minutes. When done, plate the scallops on the bed of leeks.

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