Braised Scallops with Raspberry

Scallops make a wonderful fish course. They are super easy to cook and do not take much time. Here's what I start with:

Upper left is fennel that has been sliced into sticks. That forms the bed for the scallop.

Middle upper is the coriander seed that gets pulverized.

Upper right is the mashed avocado that has some lemon juice added to it so it does not discolor.

Lower right are the raspberries.

Lower left is some vermouth with lemon zest.

And, of course, the lower middle are the sea scallops. Always, always, always find that muscle bit on the scallop that connects it to the shell and remove this bit if the fish monger has not already done so.

Not shown is butter and coconut oil.

So, take the butter and coconut oil, and plop it in the frying pan and get the butter oil hot. The scallops should sizzle right away when they hit the pan. Should be on medium-high heat.

Dry the scallops! You want to sear them, not steam them!

Plop the scallops into the hot pan. Sear them for 3 minutes, no more, no less, to get a good crust on the one side.

While the first side is searing, pulverize the coriander seed and add it to the vermouth/zest. Also mash up one raspberry and add it to the vermouth/zest. Also, get the plates ready with the fennel beds.

Check the scallops to be sure they are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.

After the initial 3 minutes, flip them over and sear the other side for 3 minutes. One minute into this three minutes, pour on the vermouth/zest/coriander/raspberry mixture. It should go 'POOOSSSHHHH'. Tilt the frying pan and using a good size spoon, baste the scallops as they continue to sear. During these last 2 minutes this should form a nice sauce for the scallops.

Once the three minutes are up, the sauce should have been reduced to a nice coating on the scallops and the scallops can be placed on the bed.

Then, top with the mashed avocado and a raspberry.

Here is how one looks on a bed of salad. Notice the nice, brown crust on the scallop. That is the ideal.

Enjoy with a perhaps a Blanc du Blois wine from Haak, or a Sauvignon Blanc from Llano or Fall Creek.