Dinner With Denny

I needed an easy, make-ahead, look like I can do it in my sleep kind of dinner for a friend of James' that was coming to dinner. Costco had a big tray of scallops on a super sale. I figured I could build a dinner around them.

We started off with a tray of cheeses and paté easy and always a hit. And, another good excuse to use our home candied kumquats. Then for our meal I steamed some asparagus and dressed them with sliced blood oranges, olive oil, sesame oil, and toasted hazelnuts.
Though they got a little crispy on top these baked scallops really are the ultimate convenience food. With the oven set to 375º I melted some butter with white wine and snippets of prosciutto and sliced garlic in an enamel pan. Then I added in the scallops and coated them in the sauce, and topped the whole dish with crumbled ritz crackers (I can hardly believe it myself) and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The scallops baked for 10 minutes and then I put them under the broiler for 3 (should have been two) to crisp.
As a second side dish I pulled our a recipe I have been saving for eons. Roasted radishes. The trimmed radishes are sautéed for two minute sin hot oil and then put into a 500º over for 15 minutes to cook through. Then back on the fire I added in butter, lemon juice, and the reserved radish greens just until they wilted. The radishes were the hit of the night. Now there is a seldom heard phrase. But, it'll be more common around here soon.