A Little Bit of Paula Deen

With my new kitchen installed (and loving it), I want to have more Fun with Food, naturally Paula Deen came to mind!

So off I went, searching for a new and easy sea food recipe to try, and Scallops Charleston it will be!

Here Mrs. Deen is handing out biscuits in front of her restaurant Lady & Sons in Savannah. I'd love to eat there!

Oh, I didn't think I was the only one!

A peek inside. This is the dining room on the third floor.

And Paula's kitchen in her Savanna home. "She wanted the kitchen to reflect her Southern heritage and have the feel of an old house." You can read more about it at Paula Deen Magazine. And over at Hooked on Houses there's a tour of Paula Deen's Home.

Other links you might enjoy:

Top 100 Paula Deen Recipes @ The Food Network
Paula Deen's Rental Cottage on Tybee Island via Mermaid Cottages.

Paula Deen's Scallops Charleston Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb fresh sea scallops
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
flour for dusting
3/4 cup sherry or dry white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
8 ounce fresh mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Directions:

Season scallops with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and basil. Dust scallops with flour. Saute in a pan that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray and a small amount of olive oil. Cook scallops on both sides until browned. Remove scallops from pan.

To the drippings in the pan, add sherry, shallots, and mushrooms; cook for approximately 3-4 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons flour. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Pour shallots, mushrooms, and liquid from scallops into flour mixture. Mix well. Stir scallops into sauce. (If too thick, you can thin with clam juice or fish or chicken stock.)

Transfer to four individual baking dishes, top with cheese, and broil for 1 minute, until browned. Serve with wild rice.