provided by Toro Toro
Toro Toro's Sea Scallops
Opened at the tail end of 2019 in the Worthington Hotel downtown, Toro Toro Pan Latin Steakhouse is one of the city’s top new restaurants, offering an unusual but approachable menu of all things meaty, from beautifully cooked steaks to Latin-style Texas barbecue. But the restaurant also does wonders with seafood, as you’ll see with this Toro Toro recipe for sea scallops.
Ingredients:
2, 6-ounce sea scallop
2 fluid ounces brown butter butternut squash puree
1.5-ounce blistered shishito peppers
2 tablespoons charred chili aioli
1 tablespoon kabayaki sauce (eel sauce) *you can make or purchase
To taste: olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, lime juice
Directions:
1. Lightly season scallops with a couple drops of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Pan sear for a minute, turn over, and finish in oven or pan with a baste of butter.
3. Make sure the butternut squash puree and blistered shishito peppers are warm.
4. To plate: Spoon the butternut squash puree. Drizzle the charred chili aioli where the scallops will go. Arrange scallops and shishito peppers. Drizzle the kabayaki on the shishito and around the plate.
Components:
Butternut Squash Puree:
1 pint butternut squash peeled, medium dice
2 ounces melted butter
To taste: salt and pepper
Water as needed for blending
1. In a mixing bowl, lightly butter and season squash. Place in roasting pan or foil and wrap tight.
2. Roast at 375 F for about 20 minutes until very tender.
3. Place in blender. Turn on low and slowly turn to high. Drizzle water in until it spins, but do not add too much water as it is intended to be thick.
4. Puree until smooth and put into container to give final seasoning (salt and pepper to taste) and reserve.
Charred Chili Aioli:
3 shallots, sliced
6 serrano chili peppers, removed stem
4 limes, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
1/2 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted
1/2 cup blended oil
4 bch cilantro
3 cups mayo
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1. Fry garlic and shallots in fryer until golden brown and cool (can be done stovetop).
2. Blanch and shock cilantro and drain dry.
3. Blend coriander and cumin in blender until fine.
4. Add remaining ingredients except mayo and blend until smooth
5. Add mayo and blend until incorporated.
Blistered Shishito Peppers:
1. Lightly oil then season 1 1/2-ounce shishito peppers. Set a wide sauté pan on high and let get hot.
2. Set the peppers in the pan evenly and do not move. Let char before tossing.
3. When one side is charred, lightly toss to move on to other side — let it get a nice color.
4. When evenly blistered, remove from pan and let rest. Check for seasoning.
Kabayaki Sauce (Eel Sauce):
(optional to make)
4 cups sake
2 cups mirin
8 cups water
4 cups soy sauce
4 cups sugar
1. First put the sake in a pot stovetop and cook off all the alcohol.
2. Add everything and reduce until syrup for 2 hours on low heat.
