Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Mandarin, Bowling, Anne Frank, Scallops,

Got to Mandarin and presented my letter granting me a free meal. Booked a table for four and waited. In the end, called our friends and  they said they had phoned us last week and said he was having cataract surgery tomorrow so they would cancel for now. I don't remember anything about it. Matt and I had a good lunch and of course it didn't cost us much. Next month I will have a free meal for my birthday but we have to have four of us for that. I'm afraid I really pigged out today, I don't seem to have any control these days and everything is so good. Oh well. I sometimes think what does it matter at my age, but of course I don't want to waddle. It is rather nice to go into both Mandarin and Red Lobster and be welcomed back. Hopefully we will make Red Lobster with ladydog this week.

Today we bowl. It is the last game that counts, next week is the "banquet" - ie KFC.

Did you hear, by the way, that a cold case team are going to be investigating who betrayed Anne Frank - the little German girl who was in hiding with her family in Amsterdam because of her Jewish heritage and who wrote brilliant diaries about her family's life in hiding. I am fascinated to discover if they can find anything out. I was part of a group who read the play about her life and have always been interested since. Bearing in mind that it was around 70 years ago, one wonders if there is the remotest possibility of finding anything out.

Both ladydog and I are very fond of scallops. I miss my days in NC when I would buy a gallon of bay scallops for $8. Those were the days. Anyway, I figured we both might be interested in this recipe. Mind you, I'm not too sure about where I would obtain blood oranges. Haven't seen any in a while.

Scallops with Blood Orange, Fennel and Pistachios

This easy and delicious salad features sweet, plump seared sea scallops on a Sicilian-style salad with briny green olives and fried capers

2 small fennel bulbs—halved, cored and very thinly shaved on a mandoline
2 blood oranges
6 Tbs fresh blood orange juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt Freshly ground pepper
10 large sea scallops
1 tsp fennel pollen
2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Tbs brined capers, drained and patted dry
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup unsalted roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped

1. In a large bowl, soak the fennel in ice water. Peel the blood oranges with a sharp knife, being sure to remove all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the 6 tablespoons of blood orange juice with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Drain the fennel and pat dry. Add it to the dressing and toss to coat. Mound the salad on 10 plates.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil until shimmering. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and rub with the fennel pollen. Add the scallops to the skillet and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and capers to the skillet. Turn the scallops over and cook just until white throughout, 2 minutes longer. Set the scallops on the fennel salad.

4. Cook the capers, basting them with the fat in the pan, until browned and crisp, 2 minutes. Scatter the capers, olives, pistachios and orange sections all around and serve.

Servings: 10

Source: Food & Wine

Have a great day
 

14 comments:

  1. Glad you enjoyed the meal out and are already looking forward to others ... enjoy - love scallops - cheers Hilary

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    1. We always enjoy Mandarin Hilary. Scallops are yum.

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  2. I am sure you could not eat enough at your age to start waddling. But I do think that there is too much emphasis on being thin. I am more concerned with being healthy. And speaking of cataracts, I had my left eye done yesterday and now I can see clearly. Amazing.

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    1. I don't know Denise, don't really want to find out either.

      Yes, Matt had both his done over the years, he can see really well.

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  3. Sorry your friends couldn't make it.
    A gallon for eight bucks? Wow, it's like sixteen bucks for a pound now.

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    1. Well I lived on the coast Alex, maybe you should move LOL

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  4. It would be interesting to see who/what turned Anne Frank and her family in. I remember reading her diary so many times as a teenager. That period of history fascinates me.

    betty

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    1. I lived through it Betty. Luckily we never had to put up with the Nazis in our country.

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  5. My husband likes scallops but they are so expensive.

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  6. When I'm under stress, I eat and that's such a bad habit. I'll just graze and eat without paying any attention to what I'm eating. You can't think you're 70, what's it matter. You matter. I'd be lost without dragon hugs and kicks.

    I bought blood oranges last week because I was intrigued by the name. They tasted just like a clementine. Or any really juicy orange.

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    1. Apart from the fact that I am 80 Liz, you are right, I guess I shouldn't think that way. I guess it's kind of an excuse.

      Haven't seen any in a while.

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  7. I love scallops. I didn't hear about the cold case but that sounds interesting. I'm sure someone will make a movie or series about that. Hope your internet is back up.

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    1. Me too Susan. Yes, if they reach a conclusion or maybe the case itself will be good enough for a movie. It came back up around 10 ish last night.

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