Bottega - Michael Chiarello [59]
Ask your fishmonger for sushi-quality day-boat scallops; they’re worth ordering in advance. If your fishmonger is really good, your day-boat scallops will arrive in a muslin bag that allows air through.
Any rich seafood benefits from this agrodolce, or “sweet-tart” sauce. Try it with salmon or shrimp. Both the passatina and the cauliflower can be made a day ahead if you like. I think the agrodolce actually tastes better the next day. Reheat the cauliflower and the passatina so they’re ready to go before you begin cooking the scallops.
Pink chickpeas have a Middle Eastern spiciness that I love. If you can’t find them in your specialty market, see Resources.
Ask your butcher for prosciutto hocks or heels—the hard ends too small to be thinly sliced.
Wine Pairing: Italian Riesling
CHICKPEA PASSATINA
1 cup dried pink chickpeas or other chickpeas or white beans, rinsed and picked over
½ cup diced yellow onion
½ cup diced peeled carrot
½ cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
Small piece of prosciutto heel
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt, or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
CAULIFLOWER AGRODOLCE
3 cups white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 sweet white onion, finely diced
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 head of cauliflower (about 2½ pounds), broken into florets
Pinch of sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (see Chef’s Note)
¼ cup olio nuovo or finest late-harvest extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons shredded fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
18 day-boat sea scallops (about 3 pounds), side muscles removed, rinsed, and patted dry
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Late-harvest olive oil for drizzling
FOR THE PASSATINA: Pour the beans into a large stockpot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand 1 hour, then drain. Add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and then add the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and prosciutto. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let the beans cook gently, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Add the salt, season with pepper, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until the beans are tender. The timing will depend on the age and size of the beans you’ve used; start tasting for tenderness after 60 to 90 minutes. Let the beans cool completely in the cooking liquid. Set the pan aside or refrigerate for up to 3 days, keeping the beans in their cooking liquid.
When ready to purée the beans, discard the prosciutto and drain the beans but reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. In a food processor or blender, process 3 cups of the cooked beans (not the liquid) until smooth. Stir in the 3/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. If the mixture needs to be thinned slightly, add 1/4 to ½ cup of the reserved liquid. (Set aside until ready to serve, or cover and refrigerate overnight.)
FOR THE AGRODOLCE: In a large saucepan or sauté pan (at least 10 inches wide), combine the vinegar, sugar, and raisins. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add the onion. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the onion is soft and the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, add the butter with the olive oil, and heat until the butter foams. Add the cauliflower florets and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer,