Warm Scallop Pudding With Spinach and Cold Tomato-Basil Juice

Ingredients

The juice:

• 2 cups good-quality tomato juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

The pudding:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 shallots, peeled and minced
• 2 cups stemmed spinach, washed but not dried
• 5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pound sea scallops
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup creme fraiche
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 12 cooked shrimp, peeled and halved lengthwise

The spinach:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 12 cups spinach, stemmed and washed but not dried
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    156 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 75 milligrams cholesterol; 884 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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Eight servings

Preparation

1. To make the juice, line a fine-mesh sieve with a paper towel and place over a bowl. Pour in the tomato juice and let it drip through; this will take about an hour. Add the basil and refrigerate until cold.
2. To make the puddings, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute for 30 seconds. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Let cool.
3. Puree the scallops in a food processor. Add the eggs, creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Puree just until smooth. Take out half of the mixture and set aside in a bowl. Add the spinach and the basil to the food processor and puree.
4. Grease 8 6-ounce ramekins. Place 3 slices of shrimp in each ramekin, cut side up. Divide the white scallop mixture evenly among the ramekins, smoothing the top of each. Top with the green scallop mixture, and smooth the tops.
5. Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until the puddings are firm, about 20 minutes.
6. To make the spinach, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute a few seconds. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Season with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
7. To serve, place a mound of spinach in the centers of 8 shallow bowls. Invert the puddings over the spinach. Spoon the cold tomato juice around the spinach and serve immediately.

1 hour 40 minutes