Black Tie Scallops Recipe

1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry dough 1/16 inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out 8 rounds slightly larger than the scallops. Cut out eight 2-by 7-inch rectangles. Transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerate.
2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt the water. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Line a baking sheet with a kitchen towel. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and transfer to the ice water so it cools as quickly as possible, about 1 minute. Drain, shaking off the water. Carefully unfurl each leaf on the towel, without overlapping. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Make 2 parallel horizontal cuts in each scallop, cutting almost but not all the way through. Season each cut with salt and pepper and insert a truffle slice. Set a stuffed scallop on a spinach leaf and wrap the scallop, using additional leaves if needed. Reserve the remaining truffle slices.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Brush 1 narrow end of a pastry rectangle with the egg wash. Set a wrapped scallop on its side at the opposite end and roll up the scallop. Brush 1 pastry round with egg wash, set the scallop horizontally on top, and press the rectangle and round together to seal. Pinch the dough on top to seal like a dumpling. Trim the bottom pastry to neaten. Repeat with the remaining scallops. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Refrigerate the remaining egg wash.
5. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Brush the scallop rounds with the remaining egg wash and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes.

Tips
Buy “dry” scallops. “Wet” scallops are soaked in a solution that plumps and whitens them and extends their shelf life. They never brown properly (they exude quantities of liquid) and don’t have any flavor. Truffles are available at specialty food shops and from dartagnan.com, plantin.com, and urbani.com. Many chefs peel the firm outer rind of the truffle and mince it to use in truffle butter or truffle salt; the rest of the truffle is thinly sliced.

Try out these other scallop recipes on Food Republic:

• Scallops With Carrot Cream And Marjoram Recipe
• Spicy Scallop Tartare In Cucumber Cups Recipe
• Seared Scallops With Carambola Sauce, Parsnip And Succotash