3214. SEARED DIVER SCALLOPS and MONTEREY ABALONE, MASTIC-POACHED MATSUTAKES, CRISPY FARRO, and BACON CONSOMME

Bacon Consommé:

3 pounds slab bacon, cut into 1-inch chunks

6 large shallots, sliced

1 head garlic, halved

1 cup maple syrup

¼ cup Sherry vinegar

agar agar

 

Farro:

1 cup farro piccolo

4 cups hot water

salt

fryer oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon parsley 

 

Matsutake mushrooms:

½ cup high quality mastic tears

¼ cup lemon juice

1 pound #1 grade matsutake mushrooms, cleaned

salt 

 

Abalone and scallops:

4, ⅓-pound abalone

8 U-10 diver scallop

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoons chopped parsley 

 

For the Bacon Consommé: In a large pot, combine bacon, shallots, garlic, maple syrup, and vinegar; add water to cover.  Bring to a simmer, and cook 45 minutes, until the broth is infused with bacon flavor. Strain the liquid and weigh. Scale 2 percent agar agar based on total weight of liquid. Stir the agar agar into the liquid, pour back into pot, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes, whisking constantly, to disperse the agar. Strain the mixture and chill. When the mix begins to set, stir it slightly to break up the structure. Once set, hang the mixture in cheesecloth to clarify. The resulting liquid should be crystal clear and taste of bacon.

For the Farro: In a pot combine, water, farro, and salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the farro is tender, drain excess water, and chill. Heat oil to 355ºF; fry farro until crisp. Toss the crispy farro with lemon juice, zest, and parsley. Season with salt. Reserve in an airtight container with silica gel to preserve texture.

For the Matsutake Mushrooms: In a large pot, dilute mastic tears in water and lemon juice. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Poach mushrooms until tender and cooked through. Chill mushrooms in the broth, which can be reused multiple times. 

For the Abalone and Scallops: Remove abalone from the shell. Remove the liver and innards with a small knife. Rinse the abalone under cold water. Lightly pound the abalone with a meat hammer. Remove feet from the scallops and rinse. Pat dry with paper towels. In a sauté pan, lightly brown the butter. Add scallops and caramelize on one side. Flip the scallops and add the abalone. Once abalone are browned, flip and add matsutake mushrooms. Add the lemon juice and salt and quickly baste in the pan. Remove everything from pan and reserve on a side dish for plating. 

To Assemble and Serve: In a shallow bowl, plate the abalone and scallops and matsutake mushrooms, arranging faro around. Warm the bacon consommé and pour into bowls.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Marty Cattaneo, on StarChefs.com, May 2013

2950. BACON-WRAPPED ABALONE POPPERS

1 abalone, shucked, thinly sliced into large steaks, and tenderized
2 cups white flour
3 eggs, beaten
4 cup panko breadcrumb
12 canned whole jalapeño or serrano peppers (4-7 oz can), stemmed and sliced lengthwise
5 oz. pepper jack cheese, sliced into 1-2″ long pieces
1/2 lb. bacon strips
oil for frying
toothpicks

Fill a heavy skillet to a quarter inch deep with oil and heat at a medium setting staying well under the point of smoking.

Flour an abalone steak, dip in beaten egg, and coat both sides with breadcrumb. Place a bacon strip on a plate or board and lay the breaded steak on it. Create a line of both cheese and peppers together across the center of the steak. Carefully fold the steak around the line of cheese and peppers, then spiral-wrap the bacon around the rolled up steak so that it resembles a chunky barber pole or candy-cane. Use a pair of toothpicks to secure the uncooked popper.  Repeat for all the abalone steaks.

After checking the oil temperature, place one abalone popper into the skillet. A minute or so later flip the first popper and place a second one in the skillet. After another minute, remove the first popper and place on paper towel, flip popper #2, and add a third. Continue cooking until there are no more uncooked poppers. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Stephanie, Life Tastes Like Food, November 15, 2011

1343. BBQ BACON-WRAPPED ABALONE STEAKS

thin sliced bacon
jack, pepper jack, or fresh mozzarella cheese cut into strips
1 oz. abalone steaks

Place the strips of bacon in a shallow pan in the oven at 350 for 5 - 10 minutes to cook off some of the fat; do not allow the bacon to crisp. Remove from oven, drain and let cool.

Place a strip of cheese along the edge of each steak and roll the steak around the cheese.

Roll a piece of bacon around each steak; cover as much of the exposed steak as possible. Cut off the extra bacon to use on the next steak. Secure the roll with a toothpick.

Grill until the bacon is lightly browned and the cheese begins to melt out the ends. Grill plain or with BBQ or grilling sauce.

Place hors d'oeuvres on a cutting board, remove the toothpick, slice in half an serve with cocktail toothpicks.


courtesy of: The Abalone Farm, California

1256. ABALONE CHOWDER with BACON

serves 8


1 quart water
1 teaspoon salt
4 large red potatoes, (about 2 pounds)
1 pound raw tenderized abalone, cut into ¼ inch cubes
6 slices bacon, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 cups milk
1 small bay leaf
2 cups Half and Half
2 tablespoons sesame oil

In a skillet, heat the oil and quickly fry the abalone cubes until golden brown, about 30 seconds and set aside. Heat the water in a 2-quart saucepan until boiling. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the potatoes, return to boiling, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool the potatoes, then peel and cut into ½ inch cubes and set aside.

In a dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, then cook and stir until tender, about 2 minutes. Reduce to medium heat and stir in milk, flour, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low, blend in the Half-and-Half, and add the potato cubes and abalone. Cook over low heat, gently stirring, for 12 to 13 minutes more. Garnish with sliced green onion, if desired.


courtesy of: The Abalone Lover's Cookbook by Jeri Siegel and Michael Hill

933. BACON-WRAPPED BAKED ABALONE

1 large abalone
1 large lemon
2 slices bacon

Tenderize whole abalone (Pound with 2X4). Place wrap bacon slices around top of abalone. Squeeze lemon juice over abalone. Wrap abalone & bacon in aluminum foil, closing the top Bake in oven @ 300 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove abalone from oven, open top and place back for 10 minutes @ 300 degrees. Remove from oven and serve.


courtesy of: Henry H. Ushijima & Aileen B. Hallissy, Concord, California

903. BRAISED ABALONE in OYSTER SAUCE with BACON and BROCCOLI

250 grams canned abalone
50 grams bacon
2 heads broccoli
½ cup cooking oil

Stock:
250 grams retained abalone juice
2 tablespoons Chinese wine
1 stock scallions
1 slice ginger
½ cup water

Seasoning:
25 grams oyster sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon corn starch

Drain canned abalone and separate abalone juice. Cut abalone in to thin slices. Prepare stock. Add abalone in to stock for 15 minutes under low heat. Remove abalone and drain; retain stock and add 1 cup of water to stock. Cut bacon in to bits. Fry in cooking oil until crispy. Drain and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil, about 1 litter. Add 1 pinch of salt. Add broccoli to boiling water for about 60 seconds, cool and drain. Using a large bowl, arrange abalone on the sides of the bowl. Place broccoli green side down over the abalone until bowl is full and packed. Prepare seasoning by mixing all of them together, Heat wok and add seasoning and half cup of stock. Bring to a boil. Dilute corn starch with some stock and add to seasoning until thick. Place a large plate over the abalone-broccoli bowl face down. Turn them over so that the bowl will release its shape on to the place. Pour seasoning over the broccoli. Sprinkle bacon bits over the preparation as garnish.


courtesy of: Tasek.net (Recipe): the making of good food