Recipe: Scallop Popover with Tomato Orange Sauce (New England)

SCALLOP POPOVER WITH TOMATO ORANGE SAUCE

"This is a spectacular dish I discovered when I moved to New England several years ago. Fellow cooking teacher and good friend Charlotte Turgeon first told me about it, explaining that a popover batter is poured into a baking dish and baked with any combination of seafood and vegetables in it. While the popover batter bakes, it rises up around the sides of the pan, forming a shell. The seafood and vegetables cooked in it serve as a filling. I added the light tomato-orange sauce, which can be prepared several days ahead."

FOR THE TOMATO-ORANGE SAUCE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (orange portion of rind)
Dash sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine

FOR THE POPOVER:
1 medium carrot, peeled
4 large eggs (or 1 cup egg substitute)
1 1/4 cups skim milk
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Generous sprinkle of ground cayenne pepper
1 pound sea scallops, washed, with connective tissue removed and discarded
3/4 cup green onions (including 2 inches of green tops), cut diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen green peas, defrosted and drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or chives for garnish (optional)

TO PREPARE THE TOMATO-ORANGE SAUCE:
Heat oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes, basil, red pepper flakes, orange zest, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add broth and wine and simmer until tomatoes are soft and mushy, 12 to 15 minutes.

Puree mixture in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, a blender or food mill. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. (Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. The sauce can be frozen; defrost before continuing. Reheat, stirring, when needed.)

TO PREPARE THE POPOVER:
Arrange a rack at center position and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 13x9-inch oven-to-table baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cut carrot into 2-by1/8-inch strips. Blanch carrots in boiling, salted water to cover, for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Whisk eggs or egg substitute and milk together in a bowl. In another bowl, stir together 1/2 teaspoon salt, flour and cayenne. Gradually whisk egg mixture into dry ingredients. Pour batter into baking dish. Scatter scallops in center of batter, leaving a 2-inch border of batter. Sprinkle carrots and green onions over scallops. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until batter rises up around sides and becomes golden and lightly crusty. Leaving popover in oven, sprinkle peas and cheese over filling. Bake to heat peas and melt cheese, about 7 minutes more.

Serve hot. Cut into 6 portions and top each with warm tomato-orange sauce and, if desired, a sprinkling of parsley or chives.

VARIATION:
Leftover tomato-orange sauce is a wonderful topping for pizza. The sauce is also good on grilled fish or served over fresh cooked pasta.

MENU SUGGESTION:
This dish is a meal in itself, so I serve a mixed green salad with a light dressing and warm French bread with it. For dessert, try Lemon Cheesecake with fresh strawberries piled on top and dusted with powdered sugar in place of the cranberry topping.

Makes 6 servings
Source: American Favorites by Betty Rosbottom