My favorite part of this dish is the combination of the green olives and the melon, so if you only make a portion of the recipe, give that a shot first. It is a great condiment for fish and meat, foie gras and sweetbreads even as the base for a vegetable compostition.
8 U-10 dry scallops
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons of whole butter
4 ounces of Roquefort cheese
1 ripe cantaloupe
1/2cup minced green olives in their brine
1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup ruby port
1T agave nectar
1/2 cup of minced white onion
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Fresh black pepper
Remove the top and bottom from the melon. Now it will stand flat on a cutting board. Using a knife, shave the rind from the melon. Once the rind is removed, cut the melon into four quarters and then remove the seeds. Trim each quarter of melon into a perfect rectangular plank, reserve the trimmings for later use. Cut each rectangle into three batons and set aside. Place the melon trimmings into a sauté pan and cook over medium heat. The melon will release its liquid and then reabsorb it as it continues to cook. Cook the melon until it is completely dry, it will begin to stick to the pan. Remove the melon from the heat and let cool. Place the melon on a cutting board and mince finely. Place the melon back in a bowl and fold in the minced green olives with a bit of the brine. Reserve the mixture.
Heat another sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and the salt. Stir the onions to help facilitate the release of moisture in the pan. When the onions are dry in the pan add the cherries, port and agave nectar. Cook slowly until the mixture is moist but sticky. Remove from the heat and set aside in a small ramekin.
Heat the 3T of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Pat the scallops dry and then season them with salt. Add the scallops to the pan one at a time. If you do not have a large enough pan to cook the scallops all at once, cook them in two pans. Once the scallops are in the pan turn the heat down to medium high. You will notice a crust starting to form on the scallops. At this point add the butter to the pan and with a spoon baste the scallops as they cook. Also turn the heat down if the butter thinks about scorching. Once a golden crust has formed on the scallop, turn them over in the pan and continue to baste for another minute. Remove the scallops from the pan and keep them in a warm place.
To serve, space out the rectangular melon batons on each plate, leaving a space for the scallop between the interior batons. Break up the Roquefort cheese into four chunks. Place the melon-olive mixture in the void between the rectangles and top each dollop with a scallop. Place a chunk of Roquefort on top of the center melon baton between the scallops. Finally, place a spoonful of the cherry-port marmalade on top of each scallop. Crack fresh black pepper over the top.
