Seared Sea Scallops with Celeriac Puree and Crispy Guanciale

From Katherine Wants

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS • PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 12 MINUTES

Nothing says romance like a delicious seafood dinner. If you are looking to really impress your date, these seared scallops are the way to go. The marriage of flavors in this dish is unforgettable and will definitely secure you that second date. But we’ll let you “sea” for yourself.

CELERIAC PUREE: (MAKES 2 CUPS)

• 1 small (8- to 12-ounce) celeriac (aka celery root), peeled and diced
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 ounces guanciale or pancetta, cut into matchsticks (about 1 cup)
• 6 dry-packed sea scallops (U10/20 size), “feet” removed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Make the celeriac puree: Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. When the celeriac is tender, transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust the seasoning if needed.
2. Place the guanciale in a small frying pan along with a splash of water. Over medium heat, render the fat as the water evaporates. Continue cooking until the desired crispness, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Preheat a 12-inch cast-iron frying pan over medium heat.
4. Meanwhile, dry off the scallops on some paper towels and season with the salt.
5. When the pan is very hot, pour in the olive oil. You’ll know the oil is hot enough if it smokes a little. Gently place the scallops in the hot oil and do not touch until a crust appears on the bottom edge, 2 to 3 minutes. Give a flip and repeat. Remove to a plate and let rest for 2 minutes.
6. To serve, spoon ¼ cup of the celeriac puree into a small pasta bowl and top with three scallops and half of the crispy guanciale. Garnish with half of the toasted pine nuts and pepper. Repeat to make a second serving.

Rapini Linguine with Burrata

From Katherine Wants

YIELD: 4 SERVINGS • PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES

We consider rapini to be the cruciferous green in our household. It’s beautiful, bright, and blends perfectly with the strands of linguine and creamy burrata in this pasta dish. Plus, pasta is the way to almost anyone’s heart. Once you whip up this recipe, they’ll fall for you quicker than you can refill their bowl.

• 4 shallots, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced ½ pepperoncini, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for garnish
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup vegetable stock
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 bunch rapini, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cashews
• 1 handful fresh basil
• 1 pound linguine
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 (4-ounce) balls burrata

1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, sauté the shallots, garlic, and pepperoncini in the olive oil.
2. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stock, and lemon juice, then stir in the rapini and season with the salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for 4 minutes, or until fork-tender.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully transfer the rapini mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the lemon zest, cashews, and basil and blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan and set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it’s not quite al dente (it should be about 70 percent done). Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.
5. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding a little of the pasta water as needed to finish cooking the pasta and achieve a creamy consistency. Toss in the Parmigiano[1]Reggiano.
6. Top each serving with half a burrata ball and garnish with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Brûléed Figs with Sabayon

From Katherine Wants

YIELD: 2 TO 4 SERVINGS • PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 8 MINUTES

Did you forget dessert? No problem! Whip up some sabayon sauce and serve it with brûléed figs. (Sabayon is simply frothed egg yolks, sugar, and sweet wine gently cooked over a water bath.) This is the easiest dessert to make in a pinch because it takes almost no time, and it’ll definitely put a smile on your partner’s face.

• 6 fresh figs, halved
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup Marsala wine, divided
• ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup macadamia nuts, chopped, for garnish
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Kitchen torch

1. Lightly sprinkle the figs with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and blowtorch them on the flesh side until golden. Cut into quarters and stand them up in a large serving bowl with shallow sides.
2. Make the sabayon: In the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl that fits snugly in a saucepan, whisk the egg yolks, remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt, and a splash of the wine until the mixture is frothy. Place over a simmering water bath and whisk aggressively until the sauce has doubled in volume, about 6 minutes. While continuing to whisk, add the remaining wine and the lemon juice. Continue whisking until it reaches ribbon stage (you’ll know it’s at ribbon stage when you lift the whisk and you get a long, steady flow that holds its shape and falls back into the bowl like a ribbon). This will take some effort, but you will be rewarded.
3. The flavour of the finished sauce should be sweet, boozy, and velvety. Taste and add a drop more lemon juice if needed, or, if you don’t find the sauce sweet enough, a drop of wine.
4. To serve, pour the warm sauce in between the figs. Torch the figs one more time, garnish with the macadamia nuts, and serve.

*One-time use offer. Valid February 4, 2025 - March 3, 2025 at Canadian stores and at indigo.ca on pre-tax purchase price of eligible in-stock product(s), after discounts and points redemptions, using a valid plum rewards membership. Excludes gift cards and shipping costs. Not valid on previous purchases. See indigo.ca/plum for program details.