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GRILLED SCALLOP STUFFED SWEET ONION

Here, just a few ingredients, each perfectly prepared to bring out their natural sweetness, are combined into an extraordinary dish. Whole sweet onions are slow-roasted until meltingly tender, then stuffed with a seared proscuitto-wrapped scallop. The result is a combination of sweet and salty in a striking presentation. While the quality of your ingredients is always important, this dish really shines when made with diver, or day-boat, scallops, which, unlike average scollops, have not been treated with chemical preservatives, and fine imported prosciutto di Parmo.
Makes 4 servings
 

Ingredients

• 4 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla, (about 7 ounces/200 g) each
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup sake
• 4 very large diver or day-boat "dry" sea scallops, preferably U-10 size
• 4 thin slices of prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Place the onions in their skins in an 11 1/2 x 8 inch (28 x 20 cm) metal baking pan. Rub the onions with the oil, and season all over with salt and pepper. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until the onions are very tender but still hold their shape, about 2 1/2 hours. Transfer the onions to a platter and let stand until cool enough to handle.

2. Place the baking pan over high heat on the stove. Add the sake to the pan and scrape up the browned onion juices with a wooden spatula. Pour this onion jus into a bowl and set aside.

3. Cut off the top third of the onions and reserve. Remove the center of each onion to make a hole large enough to hold a scallop.

4. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and wrap each in a piece of prosciutto to enclose completely.

5. Prepare a hot fire in an outdoor grill and lightly oil the grill grate, or preheat a grill pan on top of the stove. In a small saucepan, reheat the onion jus, season with salt and pepper to taste, and keep warm.

6. Grill the scallops, turning once, just until the prosciutto is seared with brown marks, about 30 seconds on each side; do not overcook, as they will be cooked further. Stuff a scallop into each onion, top each with 1/2 teaspoon of butter, cover with the reserved onion top, and place on the grill or grill pan.

7. Grill the onions for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are heated through and the skin burns black. Place an onion on each of 4 plates and peel off the burnt skin. Take off the onion tops and drizzle the onion jus over the scallops. Serve immediately.