Spicy Scallops with Chile Mayonnaise

I'll bet about this time, you thought that I would NEVER post another recipe...
Does this "poetry world" have her bound,tied,and mesmerized to the point
where she has forgotten about food/recipes/cooking/dining?
NEVER!!!!!

To prove it, I will post a most delectable recipe that makes me drool just
to think about it..
This is a recipe from one of my favorite restaurants, as some of you know,
"Fog City Diner" in San Francisco.
One of Cindy Pawlcyn's visiting chefs, Pat Coll, developed this delicious
recipe.

I DO love scallops, don't you? The picture I posted is of deep fried scallops
with tartar sauce, which is very tasty...though somewhat "common"...

Seems like where I live, I end up eating them mostly in a pasta dish.

This recipe is hardly "common" and gives one an even BETTER way to enjoy
them...

Serves 8 for "small plate" or appetizer portions
Obviously less for a main dish course

Large sea scallops are recommended for this dish, as they have better flavor,
and you can get them crispy on the outside without drying them out.

Scallops are coated with a spicy breading, deep-fried, and served on a bed of lightly dressed cabbage...

Since the cooking time is short, have the salad ready before you start frying.

If you prefer, you can sear the scallops in a lightly oiled nonstick pan instead
of deep frying them.

SCALLOPS:
1 1/4 pounds sea scallops, large

BREADING:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoons cayenne powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons pure chile powder

SALAD:
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 head red cabbage, thinly shredded
1/2 bunch scallions, cut on the bias
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only

CHILE MAYONNAISE:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 1/2 tablespoons Chile Paste (recipe follows)
Juice of one lemon
About 2 tablespoons cold water


Peanut oil for deep-frying
2 lemons, cut into wedges

Remove the connecting muscles from the sides of the scallops and check the scallops for shell fragments.
Combine the breading ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and pass it through a
sieve.
Dust the scallops with a light even coating, and shake off any excess.

Combine the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make a vinaigrette.
Toss the cabbage, scallion, and cilantro together in a bowl and dress lightly
with the vinaigrette.

To make the chili mayonnaise, combine the mayonnaise, Chili Paste, and lemon
juice and mix well.
Add water using only as much as necessary to get a sauce that is relatively
thick, yet thin enough to be drizzled.

Deep-fry the scallops for approximately one minute, or pan-fry them to medium-rare in a lightly oiled non-stick skillet.
To serve, place the dressed cabbage on small plates, and top with the scallions.
Drizzle with Chile Mayonnaise, and garnish with a wedge of lemon.


CHILE PASTE:
Yields 1/2 cup
You can vary the chiles in this recipe depending on preference and what you can
find in your area.
ANYTHING can be ordered online these days as well (including chiles of all kinds)
This is the combination used at Fog City Diner...

2 dried ancho or cascabel chiles
2 dried pasilla negro chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stem and seed the chiles. (WEAR GLOVES)
Place them on a cookie sheet or roasting pan, and toast 5-8 minutes, until the
aroma of the chiles develops.
Put the chiles in a medium-sized bowl, add hot water to cover, and soak until
soft.
Drain off all but 1/2 cup of water.
Blend the chile and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved water in a blender until
smooth, then rub through a sieve.
Store in the refrigerator.