Seared Scallops with Blood Orange Gastrique (a stream of consciousness "recipe")

Are those blood oranges in your grocery store? They have been carrying a wider range of products lately. Ooh, what could you do with them? Doesn't matter. They're here. Buy a few and figure it out tomorrow.

A couple of days have passed. Those blood oranges are just sitting there taunting you. But they sure are beautiful. They look like they're blushing. They're just embarrassed oranges.  Wonder what they're embarrassed about.

Why don't you make a gastrique? That sounds fancy. Everyone seems to be doing it. Except for those poor people on Worst Cooks in America. Actually, even they're making a gastrique. Wait. What exactly is a gastrique?

Google gastrique. Huh. Sugar, vinegar and flavoring, like, say, juice. Bet no one has ever made one with blood oranges before. 

Google blood orange gastrique. Okay. So you're not the amazingly creative culinary genius you think you are. But at least now you know how to make a gastrique. And even though everyone is serving it with scallops, that sounds really good so you should do that too.

$16.99 a pound?!?!? Good God! What's in those scallops? Gold nuggets? 

$3.00 off a pound with a silver coin, eh? That's still expensive, but they look really nice. You haven't had scallops in a while. And you're worth it. And the tax refund came today. Splurge on a pound. And get something green to go with. You haven't eaten anything green in a while. And no, the leeks you drenched in cheese don't count. Not brussels sprout - those are gross. How about snow peas? That could work. And maybe some tarragon. Don't people like tarragon with seafood?

Make the gastrique. Emeril's recipe seems pretty easy. Do that one. Got some freshly squeezed blood orange juice, sugar, rice wine vinegar. Oh yeah, baby, you're making gastrique. You are the gastrique queen. Gastrique. Gastrique. What a weird word.

Blanche the snap peas. Quick quick! Get them out! How about a few blood orange segments tossed with them, like a little salad or something? Yeah! Salad! That's healthy!

Now the scallops. Heat the pan. A non-stick pan. A little olive oil. Smokin' hot! Season the scallops with a little kosher salt. Sear the scallops. Don't try to turn them until they stopped sticking - have you learned nothing from all those episodes of Hell's Kitchen?!?!? Okay, now you can turn them. Nice, brown, yummy scallops. You could be on Hell's Kitchen. No...Gordon Ramsay would make you cry.

Make the plate look pretty. Green, orange, and it's not even St. Patrick's Day yet! Drizzle on the gastrique. Awww...what a pretty dinner. Take a few pictures. 

Now taste it. 

Oh yeah. That's yummy.