Here’s another great recipe from Jamie West, executive chef at California-based Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

This one features pan-seared diver scallops combined with a cooked tomato and basil puree. Chef West calls the tomato puree a fondue.

To make the fondue, onions and shallots are sautéed in extra virgin olive oil. The pan is deglazed with white wine. Roma tomatoes and fresh basil are added and allowed to simmer until thickened. The sauce is then pureed.

Chef West suggests serving the scallops atop his smoked mozzarella, corn and truffle risotto. The fondue gets spooned around the outside of the risotto. You can garnish the dish with fried basil leaves and go all the way by shaving some black truffles on top.

The Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, where Chef West overseas four restaurants and a banquet operation,  is located in a scenic area about 80 miles by car northwest of Los Angeles.

Fresh, seasonal ingredients are a foundation of Chef West’s cooking. At the resort, he has a two-acre chef’s garden where he can pick seasonal vegetables to serve his restaurant customers. He also shops at the farmers market to stay “in touch with the season and what’s available locally.”

You can also check out my posts about his spicy scallops and butternut risotto, as well as his grilled chicken breasts with tangerine honey and chipotle glaze.

Bon appétit,

Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.