This week's featured recipes are provided by MacCallum House Restaurant located in Mendocino, CA. The community of Mendocino has the great fortune of being situated on the Pacific coast and the edge of the Anderson Valley wine region. This location provides a wonderful backdrop for the creations of MacCallum House Restaurant Executive Chef Alan Kantor where he combines wonderful ingredients into interesting and enjoyable meals paired with regional wines. And if his dinner creations are not enough for you, MacCallum House Restaurant also serves breakfast demonstrating the many talents of Chef Alan.

"Caramelized Day Boat Scallops". This entree combines caramelized scallops with an interesting mixture of verjus, vanilla bean, saffron, and cream. Chef Kantor suggests pairing these scallops with the slightly sweet accents of either a simple coconut rice or a Basmati rice with raisins. To complete the meal, Chef Kantor suggests serving a Chardonnay such as the Navarro Chardonnay Premiere Reserve from Anderson Valley.

Caramelized Day Boat Scallops with Verjus-Vanilla Beurre Blanc

Serves 6

• 2lbs day boat scallops

Sprinkle scallops with salt and sear in hot, almost smoking, sauté pan until golden brown on each side, approximately 2 minutes on each side. Serve with verjus-vanilla beurre blanc.

Verjus-Vanilla Beurre Blanc

• 1 ½   sticks butter, unsalted
• 2 T. shallots, finely diced
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split
• 1/4 tsp. saffron
• 1/2 c. verjus from Navarro Vineyards
• 1 ounce heavy cream

Melt 1 T. of the butter in a small non-reactive saucepan (Calphalon or stainless), add shallots, scraped seeds from vanilla bean, vanilla bean pod and saffron. Sweat over very low heat for 1 minute.

Add verjus and reduce by half to approximately 1/4 cup. Cut remaining butter into small pieces and whisk into sauce over low flame. When butter is just completely melted, remove from heat immediately and strain through fine sieve. Whisk in cream and season with salt and white pepper to taste. Use immediately or hold in pre-warmed thermos up to one hour ahead of serving.

MacCallum House Restaurant

MacCallum House Restaurant provides a wonderfully warm and inviting spot to dine within the charming coastal town of Mendocino, CA.  MacCallum House itself was built in 1882 and is now home to both the Restaurant and an Inn.  In the restaurant, dinners are served in the former library which is kept warm with two riverstone fireplaces.  An outside wrap-around porch provides additional scenic seating.  MacCallum House Restaurant and Executive Chef Alan Kantor take pride in the fact that everything they serve is prepared in their own kitchen including breads, handmade pastas and a variety of smoked meat.  As Chef Alan says, "We use only the freshest seasonal ingredients and feature local and regional organic and wild crafted products whenever possible."