By NRA Show Hot Chef Challenge Winner Jeremy Hanlon
I have always been fascinated with the art of putting together a great movie cast. Granted, many rush to a movie to see a particular celebrity. However, if you don’t have the witty sidekick, the bitter enemy or a sexy spy that add a dynamic contrast, the movie falls flat.
I tend to use this same reasoning when I’m creating new dishes. I always begin with a "star attraction.” That special ingredient with so much flavor it deserves the part. I create the majority of my recipes while walking through a market, so the star of the show is usually the freshest product I can find.
The other day I was visiting my local fishmonger, Joe, and he had some amazing fresh scallops. Since I love the briny, slightly sweet flavor of scallops, it was a no-brainer for me to use this as the star of my dish. Scallops are one of those foods that can be very tricky to purchase if you are not familiar with the product.
