Cappesante – Pan-fried scallops on white asparagus salad with pine nuts

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 16 scallop(s), cleaned, fresh or frozen
• 300 g asparagus, white or green asparagus
• 50 g pine nuts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 whole garlic clove(s), optional
• 300 g frisée lettuce or other leaf lettuce, please do not use iceberg lettuce
• 1 lemon(s)
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp fruit vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• lemon juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

refined

Mix a vinaigrette of olive oil and vinegar with mustard, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Heat a pan gently. Add the powdered sugar and let it caramelize slightly. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lightly fry the asparagus pieces in the pan, season with salt and pepper, then set aside. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry pan and set aside. Clean the scallops and set aside on kitchen paper. Heat a pan. Gently heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the scallops until they turn a light yellow/brown color, then flip the scallops. Reduce the heat to 1 level and let the scallops simmer in the pan. Toss the washed and drained lettuce with the vinaigrette and divide among 4 flat plates. Arrange the asparagus pieces over the salad. Arrange 4 scallops in a star shape on each plate. Scatter the pine nuts over the salad. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and squeeze a little lemon juice over the salad. Serve with ciabatta or baguette. P.S.: Garlic isn’t necessary. Alternatively, briefly fry the whole garlic clove in the pan with the scallops and then remove! Otherwise, the garlic can overpower the dish.