Fig & Olive is one of those restaurants that just makes you feel you’re in the South of France, no matter which location you’re at. I credit it to Laurent whose love for simple elegant French food is infectious. Recently, they published a long overdue cookbook and I got to raise a glass to celebrate with them for the occasion. The dish that stood out to me the most that night was this Citrus Scallops En Papillote With Herb Emulsion recipe. It’s a dish you can make with winter ingredients so it brings bright flavor to even the most wintery day. The original recipe has salmon in addition to the scallops but I am partial to it with all scallops.
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Citrus Scallops En Papillote With Herb Emulsion Recipe
Ingredients
For The Herb Emulsion:
- 1 bunch fresh chives roughly chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- 1 sprig fresh dill roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For The Papillotes:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 fennel bulbs trimmed, cored, and julienned
- 3 inch piece fresh ginger peeled and julienned
- 2 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon anise liqueur such as Pernod or Ricard
- 16 scallops
- 1 ruby red grapefruits segmented
- 1 blood oranges segmented
- 8 grape or cherry tomatoes halved
Instructions
- For Herb Emulsion: Blend the herbs with salt, pepper, and olive oil with a mortar and pestle or a blender until smooth.
- For The Papillotes: Place a pot on medium-low heat with olive oil; gently cook the fennel, ginger, spring onions, and liqueur, salt, and pepper, covered, until soft, about 15 to 20 minutes. Chill.
- Heat an oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Cut baking parchment into 4 (12-inch) squares; divide fennel mixture among pieces of parchment. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Place 4 scallops on each portion. Divide the citrus and tomato halves; add 1 teaspoon herb emulsion to each.
- Bring the sides of the parchment up over the filling and tie together tightly with butcher’s string, sealing well. Place the papillotes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter and open carefully to release the steam in front of your guests.
