Chardonnay-Scallop and Smoked Salmon Cakes with Remoulade
This recipe was featured in a private winemaker dinner hosted by one of our long time club members. It was perfectly paired with our Chardonnay at the dinner, so we asked him to share it with us. It can also be paired with our Viognier
Scallop and Smoked Salmon Cakes with Remoulade
The sweet succulence of these luscious seafood cakes combines with the creamy texture of the remoulade to make for a perfect match with chardonnay. This is a good example of how similar textures (meaning weight or body) can bring a wine and food combination together.
Remoulade:
1 egg (briefly boiled, optional)
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
½ tablespoons minced fresh chives
½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped capers, drained
1 ½ tablespoons chopped cornichons or dill pickles, drained
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
Cakes:
1 pound fresh sea scallops, drained
¼ pound smoked salmon pieces, skin removed
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow or green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onions
2 teaspoons minced chives
¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces mixed greens (optional)
Garnish:
Chopped red and yellow bell pepper
To make the remoulade, in a food processor or blender, add egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture emulsifies. Add tomato paste, herbs, capers, cornichons, and lemon zest and continue to process until well mixed. Scrape out with a spatula into a small bowl and refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Place scallops and smoked salmon in a food processor and pulse about 10 times so that scallops and salmon are in small chunks but are not overprocessed and mushy.
In a large bowl, combine chopped scallops and smoked salmon with peppers, onions, chives, and ¼ cup of the remoulade, reserving the remainder to use with finished cakes.
In a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs and parsley together thoroughly. Add just enough bread crumb mixture to the seafood mixture to allow it to hold together when formed into small patties. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions, form into small patties, and place on waxed paper.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a nonstick sauté pan, melt butter over low-medium heat. {While the butter is decadent, we found using the non-stick spray is healthier and doesn’t leave you missing the butter} Saute patties until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn carefully and press down slightly to flatten. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. With a spatula, place seafood cakes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 12 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
To serve, place a small amount of mixed greens on each plate. Place two seafood cakes on top of greens. Drizzle remoulade over cakes and greens. Sprinkle chopped peppers over top and serve.
From "The Wine Lover's Cookbook" by Sid Goldstein, copyright 1999; Chronicle Books.
