Audio By Carbonatix
“This is a recipe that really captures the essence of summer,” says John Little, the executive chef of Harman’s Eat & Drink — and the subject of this week’s Chef and Tell interview. “It’s light and allows you to focus on the main stars of the dish – the Olathe corn and scallops,” he adds, noting that the dish pairs well with an avocado puree or heirloom cherry tomatoes.
Bonus tip: When you make the spaetzle, make sure you use a colander that has large enough holes to push your dough through. A mesh strainer won’t work.
A word of advice: Never buy frozen scallops, says Little. “You’ll never get a good sear on a frozen scallop.”
See also:
– John Little, exec chef of Harman’s Eat & Drink: “I find inspiration everywhere”
– John Little, chef of Harman’s Eat & Drink: “I’m a workaholic”
– 100 Favorite Dishes: English pea agnolotti from Harman’s Eat & Drink
Pan-roasted scallops with coriander spaetzle and Olathe sweet corn
Serves 4
Coriander Spaetzle
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Zest of 1 lime
Extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of liberally salted water to a boil over medium heat.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, coriander, lime zest and milk and mix well.
3. In a large bowl, add flour and make a hole in the center. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Using a fork, gradually combine the milk/egg mixture with the flour. Mix until they’re just combined.
4. Place the batter in a colander over the boiling water. Using a rubber spatula or a spaetzle maker, push the batter through a colander into the boiling water.
5. Boil the spaetzle for 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Drain the spaetzle and place in a medium bowl. Add some olive oil, toss to coat evenly and let cool.
Dish assembly
12 sea scallops, washed and placed on a dry towel
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups Olathe corn, kernels sliced off the cob
1/2 cup shallots, diced
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
Cooked spaetzle
1 small handful of fresh herbs, preferably cilantro
Jalapeno rings
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Liberally salt an pepper scallops.
2. Heat a large pan, preferably a cast-iron skillet, until it’s smoking. And 1/4 cup olive oil and place scallops in pan and sear on one side. Once they’re golden, turn down the heat, flip them over, and finish with a tablespoon butter. Cook until both sides are golden. Remove scallops from pan and drain on a paper towel.
3. In the same pan, over high heat, add the cooked spaetzle and cook until golden brown (don’t shake the pan).
4. Add corn, garlic, shallots and salt and pepper to taste. Saute spaetzle for about 3 minutes.
5. Distribute spaetzle and scallops equally on four plates. Garnish with fresh herbs.
