Beet Tartare w/ Seared Scallops

Heres a culinary fake out sure to impress even the foodiest of foodies. a quick and relatively simple low carb seafood dish that you'll be proud to share.

First off thank you if you're reading this blog post. This recipe is one that is completely self indulging and I don't expect many people to click on this for any reason other than pure WTF curiosity. Dishes like this are made to confuse the brain and the palate by giving you a familiar visual but completely different flavors. At first glimpse you think you've got a cold raw beef dish but in actuality it's low carb rice colored with beet powder sauteed in bacon, egg yolks and cheese.

Carbonara is a very simple Roman pasta dish that consists of pasta, reserved starchy water, egg yolks, grated Pecorino or Parmesan and pancetta or any type of cured pork. It’s a really quick recipe that’s full of flavor and makes for a beautiful plate. My goal was to take that flavor profile but present it in a completely non traditional manner. If you are not a fan of raw beef at first glance I’m sure this might seen a bit off putting but be brave and I assure you you’ll be glad you tried this dish.

Now onto the scallops. Scallops are by far one of my favorite ingredients and very often over cooked. There are plenty of ways to cook scallops but one of the easiest methods is to sear them in a nonstick or cast iron skillet w/ a tablespoon of avocado oil. To achieve a good sear you will cook the scallop about 80% on one side and just a quick sear on the second side. This will give you a beautiful sear and not overcook the scallops. Depending on size of the scallops you’ll have to cook them a bit longer or shorter but the color of the scallops will give you an idea of when they are close to finished. The center of the scallop still have an opaque color and that is actually in my opinion, a perfectly cooked scallop.

Now that you know how to sear the scallops I’m going to give you a few tips on preparing them to get that golden color. Sea scallops are either dry packed or individually quick frozen (IQF). If they are IQF they will have a milky white solution you may notice in the package. Rinse the scallops well and remove the little nub on any of the scallops know as the foot. The foot is actually the abductor muscle that allows the scallop to open and close its shell. It is not a big deal if you miss one but they are chewy and I would never serve one at a restaurant. Next lightly season the scallops with salt and place them on some paper towels, place more paper towels on top and let them dry out in the fridge overnight or at least for a few hours. This will give you a firm beautifully seared scallop sure to impress your guests.

I hope this recipe has given you a bit more confidence to prepare scallops in the future. Scallops are one of my favorite seafood items to prepare and soon I bet they will be one of yours too. Perfect for a Keto date night or just a lonely meal for one. trust me I Feel ya lol. If you have any questions or feel I left out any pertinent information leave a comment below

Beet Tartare w/ Seared Scallops

Culinary Lion

5 from 1 vote

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 1

Calories 539 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 slices bacon
• 1 package Miracle Rice
• ½ tablespoon beet root powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoon chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 5 large sea scallops
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil

Instructions

 

• In a nonstick pan over medium high heat sear scallops for about 2-3 minutes on one side not turning until ideal golden color is achieved.
• Turn scallops over and cook for 30 seconds to a minute then remove from pan and cover with foil to stay warm and rest.
• Add diced bacon to the same pan and cook until crispy.
• Drain and rinse Miracle rice under hot water for a minute before adding to the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes then deglaze the pan with chicken stock and add beet powder. Stir constantly until rice turns color to a red tone.
• Remove heat and add a beaten egg yolk and cheese stirring quickly until the rice has thickened.
• Plate the rice mixture in a bowl then top with the seared scallops, if you have high quality fresh eggs you may want to top your dish with a egg yolk in the center. You could also serve with a sunny side up or poached egg. Grate a bit of Pecorino to finish the plate.

Nutrition

Calories: 539kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 24gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 448mgSodium: 765mgPotassium: 280mgFiber: 3gVitamin A: 520IUCalcium: 153mgIron: 1.3mg

Keyword beet, scallops, tartare

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