A Fandango is an impromptu gathering among friends that could last a few hours or several days according to Sandy Hill in her first book - Fandango.  She follows this theme by presenting a series of menus for a variety of small to large parties.  The parties range from dinner for two, to father’s day, to a beach ride, to a wedding picnic, to Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.  The recipes are by Stephanie Valentine, one-time chef de cuisine at Charlie Trotter’s ToGo who is currently chef at Oak Savanna Vineyard.  The book is filled with interesting photos showing Sandy Hill and her companions at various parties and fandangos along with the amazing food of those parties.  For the Fandango menu, Sandy serves a fiesta luncheon starting with White Sangria.  The detailed menu contains eight dishes, including the Spicy Search Scallops recipe below, and two desserts.  As with the scallops, any of the recipes can be made on their own but if you’re looking for some interesting and delicious party menus you’ll find many to choose from in Fandango.

Spicy Seared Scallops

Excerpted from FANDANGO (Artisan Books) Copyright 2007 by Sandy Hill. Photographs copyright Luca Trovato.

These scallops are seared and then covered in a marinade of wine, chilies, vinegar, and garlic, very similar to a ceviche mixture, but cooked.  This is best if made in the morning, then allowed to sit at room temperature all day, infusing the sweet scallop meat with the smoky, garlicky flavors of the marinade­–which itself is delicious sopped up with bread.

Makes 16 servings as part of a buffet

• 2 pounds large (about 20) diver scallops, muscle removed
• 1 ¾ teaspoons sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 dried red chile peppers, minced
• 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika (see Resources)
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• ½ cup dry white wine

Start this recipe at least 2 ½ hours before serving. Pat the scallops dry and season on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper.  In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Sear the scallops until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the scallops to a shallow earthenware dish.  Strain the cooking oil, wipe the skillet clean, and return the oil to the skillet.  Add the chile peppers and garlic and cook until the garlic is golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika, bay leaves, vinegar, wine, and ½ cup of water.  Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil for 1 minute.  Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, stir, then pour the liquid over the scallops. Leave the scallops and mixture to marinate at least 2 ½ hours at room temperature.

About Fandango

Sandy Hill is rich in imagination, style, taste, and experience. She has climbed the highest peak on every continent. She has kayaked the Arctic and ridden across the Masai Mara in Kenya on horseback. She owns a vineyard in California, and she throws parties that are the talk of whatever town she's in.  Memorable entertaining, for her, is not about the easy this and store-bought that—if it's simple, why bother? It's about inspiration and preparation, about making every occasion as grand as you would if it were the last thing you'd ever do. To that end, she engages her full imagination, rolls up her sleeves, asks her guests to be co-conspirators, and creates gutsy, one-of-a-kind events of all sizes and shapes at her ranch in wine country. So go on, dream a grand party, with Fandango as your guide.

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