I spent this weekend with my mom in Portsmouth, NH, and as always, we did a lot of cooking. Somehow we managed to get our hands on a late-season batch of green tomatoes – every time we’ve made fried green tomatoes since mid-August, I’ve said, “I can’t believe I'm going to have to wait til next summer to eat these again!” Each batch has made a liar out of me – there’s always a few stragglers waiting for us in the tomato bins at Applecrest Farms. Will the ones we made yesterday be 2010’s final fried green tomatoes? Only time will tell.
A trip to Applecrest is not complete without a visit to their Traveling Barnyard – a fenced-in area where kids (and dorky adults like me) can roam amongst goats, sheep, ducks, geese, and chickens, with a separate enclosure for the llamas and alpacas, and a sweet old Shetland Sheepdog to keep the flocks in line. Because I fear that I will trip over a child or goat, I prefer to stay outside of the fence where I can participate with little to no claustrophobia. 
For 50 cents, little paper cups full of grain kibble can be purchased to hand-feed the animals. Most will calmly eat straight from your hand, but some – one goat in particular – have their sights set on larger prizes. Yes, a mother goat jumped up and grabbed the paper cup right out of my hand and proceeded to devour the entire thing, paper cup included! I wish the poor goats knew that while high in fiber, paper is not the best-tasting snack available.
I thought that apple cider, peach nectar, honey crisp apples, sharp farmhouse cheddar, a basket of perfectly ripe figs, and of course, green heirloom tomatoes, was enough fresh food to snack on for the two days I was visiting, but my mom told me that we had one more stop to make. Apparently, a new store opened in Kittery, Maine, and she wanted to check it out. I went along for the ride, and when we pulled into the parking lot, my eyes nearly popped out of my head – Enoteca Italiana, an Italian market whose storefront closed in May – had reopened in a new location! This was cause for celebration.
A few months ago, my mom and I pulled up to Enoteca to pick up our usual olives, cold cuts, sausages, and cheese, only to see a “Closed” sign hung on the door and boards covering the windows. “My heart hurts!” I proclaimed. Neither of us knew of any other store in the area that carried the top-quality, authentic Italian foods that Enoteca offered, and it was devastating to think that paisans living in Portsmouth, Kittery, York, Eliot, and Berwick would have to drive an hour south to Boston just to find a decent slice of mortadella! Granted, none of those small towns are known for having a strong Italian-American presence, but as the slow food movement continues to grow, Italians and non-Italians alike will turn to shops like Enoteca, seeking a return to flavorful food and an escape from the mass-produced, overprocessed products that line the shelves and deli counters at big-box supermarkets. We left with a tub of buttery Castelvetrano olives, a package of sliced mortadella studded with peppercorns and pistachios, a bottle of crisp Falanghina, a batch of grapefruit ricotta cookies, and enormous smiles on our faces, knowing that we’d never have to buy crappy capicole again.
Our final stop was Seaport Fish, a seafood market in Rye, NH. Just like Mercato del Mare, Boston’s seafood heaven, Seaport Fish offers top-quality catch, great variety, and the kind of customer service that makes you feel like you’re their only customer. They’re my go-to seafood market when I’m away from home. When I started this blog in August, I made it a point to communicate with the merchants who provided me with the ingredients I needed to make my recipes. Liz and Keri, the lovely ladies who own Mercato del Mare, have been a great source of not only seafood, but inspiration, and while chatting with them via e-mail they mentioned that they’re always looking for creative scallop recipes. This was my Quickfire Challenge; I've been on a mission to make an out-of-the-ordinary scallop dish. My "a-ha!" moment waited until this weekend to arrive.
So what exactly would I do with those sweet, white cylinders? Pan-seared scallops over pasta? Yawn. Bacon-wrapped? Been there, done that. Ceviche? Blahhhhh. I’ve got it – Sea Smores! Put a scallop in the marshmallow’s place, make a sauce based on dark brown porcini mushrooms to resemble the chocolate, and sandwich them between parmesan crisps. I thought it was worth a try.
I did make my Sea Smores, but next time I do it, I will not use the parmesan crisps. Never having made parmesan crisps before, I did not realize that they are greasy. Thin rounds of French bread toasts topped with grated parmesan and toasted under the broiler would be far more finger-friendly. Regardless, I will include the recipe as I made it, using parmesan crisps. If you don’t mind a little grease, they’re delicious!
When purchasing scallops, be sure to buy “dry” scallops, which means that the scallops were not soaked in water. Scallops absorb water, and if chemicals are added to the water, the scallop will absorb even more. By buying dry scallops, you’re assuring that you’re not paying for water. (Learn more about scallops here on Mercato del Mare's Fish Facts page!)
Sea Smores
Olive oil
6 large “dry” scallops
Finely ground black pepper
12 parmesan crisps (see below) or ¼” toast rounds
1 batch porcini sauce (see below)
Dry off the scallops with paper towels so that there is no moisture on the scallops’ surfaces. Dust the scallops with finely ground black pepper.
Place a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat and brush with a thin coat of olive oil. Add the scallops. Sear the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side, turning regularly. A golden-brown crust should form on the outside of the scallops; cook no more than 5-6 minutes total, depending on their size. Remove from the pan; set aside.
Place six of the crisps on a plate. Spread 1-2 teaspoons of the porcini sauce on each crisp in a thin layer. Next, place one of the seared scallops on top of the sauce on each crisp. Finally, place one of the remaining parmesan crisps on top of each sea scallop, creating a bite-sized scallop sandwich. Serve with a crisp, dry white wine.
Parmesan Crisps
Coarsely-grated parmesan cheese
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle about 2 T. parmesan in 2-inch circles on the pan (most standard-size pans will fit 3-4 crisps). When the parmesan begins to melt and bubble, remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Using a spatula, carefully scrape the crisps off the skillet, making sure to keep them in one piece. Place the crisps on paper towels to absorb some of the grease; set aside until ready to use.
Hint: Always make a few more than required to allow for any that break.
Porcini Sauce
¼ c. dried porcini mushrooms, broken or snipped into very tiny bits*
¼ c. Boiling water
Splash whiskey
Splash heavy cream
Salt and finely ground black pepper
1/8 t. cornstarch
Soak the porcinis in the boiling water. When they have softened, add the porcinis and their soaking liquid to a small saucepan. Place over medium-low heat; add the whiskey, cream, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until small bubbles begin to form on the surface of the liquid. At this point, add the cornstarch, stirring constantly, until it is fully dissolved and the sauce begins to thicken. Once the sauce is the consistency of melted chocolate, remove from heat and use a rubber scraper to transfer into a small bowl.
* If you cannot find dried porcini mushrooms, they can be purchased online.
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