I mostly don’t use a recipe and sometimes don’t write things down when I should. But I decided this was definitely worth sharing in my cookbook.
I wanted to try “scallop” baby blintzes. The store did not have sea scallops, so I bought a cup (way too much) of little bay scallops. I don’t like bay scallops ordinarily; they are quite sweet – I prefer the big sea scallops. But I figured for making the blintzes, the bay scallops should work fine. Did I say fine? The result is definitely a keeper. You will love this recipe.
Typically, I just do the big sea scallops once over lightly in butter, a tiny pinch of salt and pepper and a little pinch of dried thyme (not the powder bottled thyme). Whatever you do, never overcook scallops. They will be like bouncing rubber balls: inedible. In any season they are expensive; sometimes outrageously so. Be very careful when buying scallops. Sometimes the stores freeze their supply and thaw them and sell as fresh. Know your fish counter people. Off scallops can make you very ill. Demand to know that they are fresh.
For the blintzes I put the cup of bay scallops (drained, but not rinsed) in the blender (not in a food processor), added about a teaspoon of fresh basil, a pinch of salt and pepper, a pinch of dry fresh thyme leaves (you can add any herb you like I think – maybe even dill would work – or just parsley or green onion maybe). Or a mix of all of them. Whatever makes your taste buds happy.
Don’t whiz for long – just a minute to crush the scallops to a mush. Perhaps, depending on your blender, pulse just a couple of times. Add a couple of tablespoons of ordinary flour. Not much. Half the flour if you use half the amount of scallops. Add 1/8 cup of cream. I use half and half (coffee cream), less if doing half the recipe. We don’t want the mixture to be too runny – sort of like pancake batter.
I heat the butter in the stainless steel skillet, quite hot but not nutty brown, with just enough butter to cover the pan. Replenish the butter as you fill the pan with additional blintz batter. I scoop a large tablespoon (because you want tiny blintzes) of the mixture into the hot butter, so they cook like large silver dollar coins. When the edge crinkles a little bit, flip them over one by one to just barely cook the other side. Do not overcook. They will continue cooking in their own heat after you remove them from the skillet. Stack them on a paper towel and pat the top side with another sheet of paper towel and arrange on a serving plate. Or, you could serve these baby blintzes hot, just with a dab of my “figgy butter.”
Top it with sour cream and/or fresh lox, or anything else you like to taste with the fish family.
Oh, my! I had about 30 or 40 tiny blintzes – no kidding! Way too many. So another time I would just do a half cup of the bay scallops, if just for me. But they were just impossibly good!
You can serve these scallop basil blintzes at room temperature for guests. This is a wonderful addition to any indoor buffet table and guests can choose how to top their blintz plate.
I don’t recommend that you serve these scallop blintzes outside on the patio in hot humid weather.
Serve the baby blintzes, overlapped, on a large platter, surrounded by a collection of large fresh basil leaves; or if you have already added toppings, keep each blintz lying flat, not touching one another, on a large decorative tray.
A fluted champagne glass with crackling rose Royal de Neuville is a remarkable and memorable accompaniment. Remember this recipe for a nice New Year’s treat, too.
The working title for Carolyne’s Gourmet Recipes cookbook is From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen: A Canadian Contessa Cooks. This kitchen-friendly doyenne has been honoured and referred to as the grande dame of executive real estate in her market area during her 35-year career. She taught gourmet cooking in the mid-70s and wrote a weekly newspaper cooking column, long before gourmet was popular as it is today. Her ebook, Gourmet Cooking – at Home with Carolyne is available here for $5.99 US. Email Carolyne. Scroll down to the comments at each recipe column. Carolyne often adds complimentary “From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen” additional recipes in the Recipes for Realtors Comments section at REM.
