Scallop with Artichokes in 3 Styles from Lockwood Restaurant
2 Portions
Ingredients:
1# (8-10 ea)        U-10 sea scallops; sushi grade (or dry pack); mussel removed
2 oz            brown butter (recipe follows)
½ oz          almonds; blanched and sliced
½ oz          golden raisins
½ ea          lime; segmented and diced
to taste      kosher salt
to taste      white pepper; freshly ground
2 oz            artichoke puree (recipe follows)
1 recipe      baby artichokes (recipe follows)
1 recipe      artichoke chips (recipe follows)
1 recipe      almond foam (recipe follows)
to garnish   micro peppercress

Ingredients for the Artichoke Puree:
12 ea    artichokes; medium sized (see below for cleaning)
1 ea            lemon
2 oz            extra virgin olive oil
1 ea            shallot; peeled and rough cut
5 cloves     garlic; peeled and crushed
2 oz            dry white wine
1 cup          vegetable stock; hot (water can be substituted)
to taste      salt
to taste      white pepper; freshly ground

Note: This recipe makes more than the required amount, but it is too difficult to make less… besides, the remaining puree can be frozen and is great as a soup or ravioli base!

Ingredients for the Baby Artichokes:
3 ea            baby artichokes (see below for cleaning)
½ ea          lemon
1 oz            extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp           garlic; peeled and chopped
2 oz            dry white wine
4 cup          vegetable stock; hot (water can be substituted)
to taste      salt
to taste      white pepper; freshly ground

Ingredients for the Artichoke Chips:
2 ea            baby artichokes (see below for cleaning)
for dusting  Wondra (or all purpose) flour
for frying    olive-canola blended oil (can substitute with canola oil)
to taste       kosher salt

Ingredients for the Almond Foam:
¼ cup            almonds; whole
1 cups            water
1 Tblspn        soy lecithin (available at nutritional stores)
pinch            kosher salt

Preparation for Cleaning Artichokes:
•    Eliminate the outer leaves, bending them and snapping them off, until you reach leaves that are half yellow (toward the base) and half green (toward the tip). Greener, tougher leaves are not edible.
•    Cut off the end of the stem, leaving it about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.
•    Cut off the tip of the central cone, to eliminate the tougher green end of the leaves and obtain a flat surface.
•    Clean the outside of the stem, peeling it with a sharp knife. Uniformly pare the base of the leaves.
•    Small “baby” artichokes should be fully edible. Unfortunately, especially when bigger artichokes are used tough inedible “chokes” are present. If necessary, scoop away the inside chokes with the tip of a knife or a small spoon, until you reach the tender part of the artichoke.
•    After cleaning each artichoke, rub the outside of the artichoke with half-lemon and then place the artichoke in a bowl filled with lemon water. Placing the artichoke in lemon water will prevent it from discoloring. For baby artichokes, cut in half, slice into eighths and return to acidulated water.

Preparation for the Artichoke Puree:
•    In a non-reactive sautoir, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.
•    Drain the artichokes, pat dry with a towel, and carefully add to the olive oil off of the heat to avoid igniting.
•    Return to heat and add the garlic and the shallots. Season with salt.
•    Cook for a couple of minutes to awaken the flavors of the garlic and shallot.
•    Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce until the alcohol has evaporated or until reduced by about ¾.
•    Add the hot vegetable stock (or water) and bring quickly to a boil.
•    Simmer strongly for about 12-15 minutes or until artichokes are tender.
•    Strain and reserve liquid.
•    While still hot, place in Vita-Mix blender and blend on medium speed while slowly adding the reserved liquid to create a smooth and ‘spoonable’ consistency.
•    Pass through a fine meshed sieve and reserve warm.

Preparation for the Baby Artichokes:
•    In a non-reactive sautoir, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium high heat.
•    Drain the artichokes, pat dry with a towel, and carefully add to the olive oil off of the heat to avoid igniting.
•    Return the pan to high heat and add the chopped garlic. Stir to awaken.
•    When the pan has reached a high temperature – but without browning the artichokes – add salt and white wine. The white wine should create a loud ‘pop’ when hitting the pan.
•    Reduce the wine until the alcohol evaporates or by about two-thirds.
•    Add the hot vegetable stock or water to cover the artichokes.
•    Return to a boil as fast as possible and lower the heat to a strong simmer.
•    Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until fork tender.
•    Reserve warm.

Preparation for the Artichoke Chips:
•    Heat the canola-olive oil blend to 275˚ F.
•    Remove the cleaned baby artichoke from the acidulated water, cut in half lengthwise and slice as thin as possible with a French knife.
•    Lightly dust with the Wondra or all purpose flour. Shake off excess and place in the oil blend.
•    When the artichokes begin to turn light golden brown, remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and spread out over paper toweling.
•    Immediately season with salt and set aside.

Preparation for the Almond Foam:
•    In a Vita-Mix blender, combine all ingredients and process on high speed for about 2 minutes until well blended.
•    Transfer to a non-reactive sauce pot or bain marie. It is important that the mixture does not come up more than half way up the vessel. Heat to about 120˚ F. Keep warm.

Assembly:

•    In a heavy gauged sauté pan, heat the brown butter to the smoking point.
•    Season the scallops on both sides with the salt and white pepper and sear in the pan to a deep golden brown. Be sure that the pan being used is large enough and that the scallops fit comfortably.
•    Flip each of the scallops and cook the second side to a deep golden brown.
•    Transfer to a pan or plate fitted with a wire rack. The scallops should be cookd no more than medium rare.
•    Remove the baby artichokes from its cooking liquid and dry on paper toweling and add to the pan away from the heat.
•    Return the pan to the heat and add the sliced almonds. Allow to toast while constantly stirring.
•    Add the golden raisins and lime segments, adjust seasoning and keep warm.
•    To serve, draw a straight line down the middle of a square plate with the artichoke puree.
•    Place the baby artichokes across the length of the puree.
•    Next place the scallops across the length of the puree and baby artichokes.
•    Top each scallop with the golden raisins, almonds and diced lime. Lightly spoon some of the brown butter around the dish.
•    Barely submerge a hand held blender into the top of the almond foam and process for about 5 seconds. Remove the hand blender and a foam should hold at the top of the mixture.
•    Using a spoon, remove some of the foam from the top and spoon across the scallops.
•    Garnish the foam with leaves of peppercress and the artichoke chips.

Roasted Vegetable, Hearts of Palm and Carrot Mousse Terrine with Caramelized Popcorn Coulis from Carlos’ Restaurant

Serves 6

Terrine
3    Zucchini, sliced thin and roasted
4    Yellow Squash, sliced thin and roasted
2    med.  Sweet Potato, sliced thin and roasted
6    Purple Potatoes, sliced thin and roasted
8    Carrots
1    can Hearts of Palm
-cook carrots in water with a little salt and butter until tender
-puree in food processor and add gelatin, check seasoning
-take out the center of the hearts of palm and pipe the carrot mousse in the
middle
-layer vegetable alternately in bottom of terrine mold lined with plastic wrap
-when terrine is half full place hearts of palm down the middle
-continue layering vegetables until full and cover with plastic wrap
-place a sheet pan on top of terrine and weight it down with canned goods
-cool for 4 hours

Sauce:
1       quart of popcorn
½      cup of sugar
1    cup of milk
¼      cup of red wine vinegar

-caramelize sugar in pan, add vinegar and popcorn
-add milk reduce to desired consistency
-puree in blender and season
-season and add 2 drops of tabasco sauce

Caramelized Carrot Mousse:
4    lg.            Carrots, cooked in water, butter and sugar
4    lg.            Carrots, juiced
5                Gelatin sheets, softened in warm water
Puree carrots in blender and add carrot juice.
Add gelatin.
Season to taste.

Anticipation builds for our upcoming Toast of the Towns in Atlanta, Chicago and New York following a tremendous San Francisco event on March 26th. The War Memorial Opera House was filled with happy tasters who strolled its beautiful floors, eating flavor-packed bites and drinking wines from all over the world.

The folks at YumSugar shared their favorite wines including a 2007 Deep Purple Zinfandel (“plummy and extremely juicy”), a 2006 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Reserve (“smooth and not overly tannic”), a 2007 Jackson-Triggers Proprietors’ Reserve Vidal IceWine (“a full-bodied sticky”) and some top Korbel sparkling wine.

Adam Levin of Snooth.com, enjoyed making up his own food and wine pairings and getting hints from the people pouring.

Drinkhacker.com posted a full tasting report, saying “It’s the first time I’ve left a wine event completely stuffed — and perfectly satiated with a glass of Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (rating: A) — a unique way to finish a wine tasting event” He also calls it a “must-attend event.” He enjoyed crab dumplings, duck salad, steak tartare, lobster thermidor, ahi tuna and more.

Want a closer look? Catch a live video from the event, captured by StarSilverCreek.com

If you are attending Atlanta, Chicago, or New York be sure to share your favorite moments by tweeting from the event using #TOTT. And stay tuned for event photos, which will be posted here, in our Flickr account, and our Facebook fan page. Enjoy!

In just three short weeks, our exciting, annual wine and restaurant tasting event, Toast of the Town, will hit San Francisco (March 26th), followed by Atlanta (April 16th), Chicago (April 30th) and New York (June 15th).

We realize this year it may be tough to indulge in a night such as Toast of the Town, so let us offer you 10 reasons why it’s worth every penny:

10) The Early Bird Discount. Though Toast of the Town sells out every year, this year we are offering an exclusive discount to early buyers. Secure your tickets now and take $20 off the cost of a grand ticket and $25 off the cost of a VIP. We like to reward the early birds.

9) 500 Wines. Rather than splurging on one bottle of wine at a restaurant with a high markup, you’ll be free to experience hundreds of unique tastes in one room.

8)  30 Restaurants.  Rather than having one nice dinner out, Toast of the Town is a chance to enjoy the best that the top restaurants in each city have to offer. Think of it as 10+ fantastic meals out.

7) Cultural Venues. With locations like the Field Museum in Chicago and the Georgia Aquarium, you’ll get an educational, enlightening experience included in the cost of the ticket. Toast of the Town is always at an exciting locale, not in a hotel ballroom.

6) Proceeds For the Silent Auction Go to Charity. We are allocating proceeds to America’s Second Harvest, so you can feel good that the money for your fabulous night on the town is going to a good cause.

5) Live Jazz. Expect to be serenaded by cool jazz music while you sip and savor, no matter which city you choose.

4) Minced Roast Duck in Lettuce Parcels, Porcini Mushroom Tarts with Truffle Aioli, Proscuitto-Wrapped Escargot, Seared Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Cream. Did I mention the food?

3) Brunello di Montalcino, Mount Veeder Cabernet, Icewine, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chianti Classico, Rioja Reserva, Russian River Pinot Noir, and more. Did I mention the wine?

2)    You could be famous. We often highlight photos of past events on WineEnthusiast.com, Flickr and Facebook.

1)    You Deserve It.  Every once in awhile we all deserve to kick-back and enjoy a special evening like Toast of the Town with friends and loved ones. If a vacation isn’t in the plans for this year, treat yourself to a smaller indulgence.

To secure tickets please visit ToastoftheTown.com. For more information and a virtual tour of Toast of the Town, check out our event video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We appreciate the tremendous praise we’ve received from attendants, who called it “amongst the best large-scale public tastings in New York” and “Hedonism at Lincoln Center” One attendant said: “the food samples were plentiful and delicious; despite the crowds, there was rarely a wait for wine, and the wine offerings were both diverse and of a higher quality than I’ve seen elsewhere; the New York Theatre at Lincoln Center is a regal space for enjoying the wine tasting event.”

Check out pictures of some special moments in New York, as well as the other cities we hit this year. If you attended, we hope you enjoyed yourself and we look forward to seeing you at Toast of the Town 2009!

Feel free to leave any comments about Toast of the Town 2008, here.

VIP guests had the opportunity to tour the aquarium, gazing at octopus, sea dragons, and sharks while enjoying top shelf pours. The room was alive during the Grand tasting, when the backdrop of jazz kicked in and folks began mingling.

I’d love to hear from other people who attended Toast of the Town in Atlanta. Did you love the roulade with scallop, shrimp, and beef filet as much as I did? Check out highlights in our slideshow below.

Gutenberg at the Daily Feed called it a “nicely staged production of gastronomic proportions” and said the sashimi of spot prawns from Campton Place was “spot-on” and he “went bananas for” the oxtail rendang with polenta wrapped in a banana leaf.

YumSugar features some of their favorite sips and tastes, remarking that “Malbec was the wine of the night” but the Chateau Laroque St. Emilion Grand Cru Classe 2000 was “excellently bodied, smooth and complex.”

Jo Diaz at Wine-Blog enjoyed some Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc as well as a “gorgeous Merryvale Chardonnay.”

Jim Gordon, our resident blogger over at Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Unreserved, enjoyed sipping some cool Rieslings and found a large assortment from Washington, Australia, Monterey, and Mendocino.

Take a peek at some highlights from this year, in our slideshow:

What about you? Did you get a chance to sample some memorable bites and sips at San Francisco’s Toast of the Town this year? If so, what were some of your personal favorites? In just a week, Toast of the Town hits the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta for the first time. Don’t miss out on a spectacular evening of wine, food, and jazz. If you’re in the area, secure your tickets today!

10. Arrive early.
When possible, it’s best to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy all of the spectacular wine and food—and beat everyone else to it! Being “fashionably late” will not do you any good.

9. Be comfortable.
You will be on your feet for a few hours, tasting wine and food from all corners of the world. The last thing you want ruining a delectable tuna tartare is foot pain. Look nice, but comfort is key.

8. Blaze your own trail.
Groups of people will typically crowd around certain dishes and wines. A kobe beef burger or a 2001 Brunello will surely be popular, but wait for your moment to get a taste. Blaze your own trail to the hamachi with chive oil and return to the kobe beef once everyone has moved on.

7. Be Social.
People from all areas come to these events for a chance to taste exotic treats. Why not mix and mingle over some of your favorite dishes? Chat up wineries and restaurateurs as well, they may have their own interesting stories.

6. Make it memorable.
After tasting a multitude of wines, things may start to get fuzzy. Take every opportunity you can to take business cards and menus from restaurants that you particularly enjoy. These will be useful devices in the morning, when you’re trying to recall who made the oyster shooters or which Riesling was your #1 choice. Jot down tasting notes in your booklet for your favorite sips.

5. Be Daring.
It’s a tasting event after all, so taste something new! Go outside of your comfort zone by seeking out unique wines like Gruner Veltliner or maybe a Pinot Noir from Chile. This is a great chance to broaden your horizons, so take advantage of it.

4. Bring A Novice.
One of the joys of wine is being able to share your knowledge with friends so that they may appreciate it as much as you. Use a wine/food tasting event as an opportunity to introduce someone you love to the world of wine.

3. Bring Accessories.
This wine glass holder necklace may look unorthodox, but it can make a world of difference. (Just read the customer reviews.) Rather than juggling a plate and glass, you can be hands-free while enjoying your food. Can’t beat that!

2. Take your time.
You have plenty of time to taste as much as you’d like. Take some time to ponder each sip and bite. Discuss your favorites with friends and return for more of the best.

1. Be Responsible.
Nobody wants to be remembered as the guy/gal who fell asleep in the guacamole. It’s great to return for more of your favorite wines, but remember that this is a “tasting” event, not a drinking spree.

I’m sure many of you have honed in on your own tricks of the trade. If you have anything to add, please share with the rest of us!

I look forward to seeing many of you at our very own Toast of the Town event which hits San Francisco in just a week, followed by Atlanta, Chicago and New York. Now that you’re prepared, secure your tickets today!

Catch a sneak peek of last year’s Toast of the Town San Francisco:

Click here to view the embedded video.