from Made in Quebec
Just adding smoked fish or seafood to fresh ingredients can turn a recipe into a specialty, says Belgian-born chef Luc Gielen. He shops at Boucanerie Chelsea Smokehouse in Chelsea, just north of Ottawa, for smoked scallops, salmon and albacore tuna. His signature salad was demonstrated at a Montreal festival of specialties from the Outaouais region of Quebec. Luc is a chef-teacher at the Gatineau culinary school Centre de formation professionelle Relais de lievre-Seigneurie and also partner in the chocolate shop ChocoMotive in Montebello.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 heads endive, leaves separated.
1 small head Boston lettuce, trimmed
1 navel orange, segments coarsely chopped, juice reserved
24 toasted almonds or pecans
4 radishes, thinly sliced (optional)
½ cup (125 mL) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15 mL) maple syrup
3 tablespoons (45 mL) sherry vinegar
12 large smoked or fresh scallops
Directions
Prepare endive, lettuce, orange, almonds, radishes (if using) and parsley and set aside.
In a heavy frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and then crumble.
Discard bacon fat, then heat oil in the pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until lightly coloured. Stir in maple syrup, vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the reserved orange juice, then set the pan aside.
Smoked scallops do not need cooking. If using fresh scallops, spray the bottom of a heavy frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Cook scallops for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until lightly coloured.
Meanwhile, arrange endive and lettuce on 4 serving plates. Scatter with chopped oranges, almonds, radishes, parsley and bacon. Top with scallops. Warm orange juice dressing in the pan, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over salad.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I love salads and this one will be an appreciated addition to my repertoire. Its both fresh and comforting – the perfect lunch for the weekend!
Recipe from Made in Quebec: A Culinary Journey by Julian Armstrong ©2014. Photography by Ryan Szulc. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443425315/made-in-quebec/
