This recipe features a Ghost Chile pepper, the hottest chile in the world. I originally explored this chile last year for the first time, having received it from Marx Foods. I was excited to discover that my local supermarket also sells it, under a label with the other name for this chile, Bhut Jolokia. Making a Ghost chile salt is a great way to enjoy this extremely spicy chile pepper.
These Ghost chile salt crusted scallops were excellent, and we loved the pairing of the spicy scallops with sweet maple emulsion and the fresh herb flavors of the micro greens. The edible flowers of autumn colors added a terrific visual appeal for this dish.
Ingredients:
Ghost Chile Salt
6 Ghost Chilies, toasted
1/3 cup coarse sea salt
Pinch of orange peel
Scallops
6 large scallops
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons of ghost chile salt
(plus more for sprinkling on top)
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon butter
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon lecithin
1 1/2 cup micro greens
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
Edible flowers (optional)
Directions:
Ghost Chile Salt
Grind the ghost pepper chilies in a spice grinder along with a little bit of orange peel. Then, I add the coarse sea salt and pulse it together with the chilies a few times. Store in a spice jar or an air tight container.
Scallops
Rinse the scallops under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, combine flour and ghost chile salt. In a large skillet, heat oil and butter. Coat each scallop in the flour and ghost chile salt mixture. Sprinkle a little more ghost chile salt on top if desired. Sear for 2 minutes on one side, and 30 seconds on the other.
Meanwhile, in a mixing cup, combine maple syrup, skim milk, and lecithin. Blend with an immersion blender at an angle until very foamy. Let the foam set for a few minutes.
Sprinkle the micro greens with olive oil and champagne vinegar and divide among serving plates. Arrange the scallops atop the micro greens. Gently place a dollop of maple emulsion on top of each scallop. Decorate with edible flowers.
Check out the "Spicy Flavors of Autumn" Luxury Party post for the other recipes, more information, or to leave a comment!.
