Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis

Today we're going to get saucy. [Ed. note: OH YEAH.] Not that kind of saucy. Simmer down, BF.

What is coulis? A coulis is a sauce made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits. I personally prefer a very smooth sauce, so I strain it after blending. You don't need to do this. Notice the top photo with scallops, I strained that sauce. The bottom photo with halibut I did not. Notice the difference in texture. It's delicious either way.

​Around this time of year many of my friends have an abundance of bell peppers in their gardens. So much so, they're giving them away as fast as they can.

This Moveable-Feast-original yellow bell pepper coulis is one of my favorite dishes to make because it's easy to prepare, healthy (fat free) and very versatile. I can make a big batch at the beginning of the week (it keeps well in the fridge for days) and use it for three or four different meals, throughout. The sauce works well as a base for chicken, shrimp, scallops, halibut, any fish, pork, black bean cakes, mushroom meatballs, crispy tofu, anything. You can even serve it as soup.
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Made the halibut meal (below) for the BF and he loved it. Made the scallop meal (above) as a special dinner for a friend celebrating her recent Life Coach certification, and her mother. Whether the meal was for two (former) or four (latter), the process was simple.

The zucchini roses might seem a bit labor intensive, but honestly they're not, and they add a distinctive flair to the dish. Enjoy this one while the bell peppers are still in season!

​Number of servings: 4

Ingredients
Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 large yellow peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
• 1 ¼ cup chicken broth (may use vegetable broth to keep sauce vegetarian)

Zucchini Roses

• 3 green zucchini
• 3 yellow zucchini

Scallops

• 16 large sea scallops (I used Trader Joe's frozen)
• 4 tablespoons butter (clarified if possible)

Garnish

• Microgreens, parsley, basil or fresh herb of your choice (pea shoots were used here)
• 6 ounces blackberries, cut in half

Directions
Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis

1. Heat olive oil in a saute pan and fry the bell pepper and onion until they begin to soften. Add orange juice and broth and cook until very soft.
2. Place bell pepper mixture into blender and blend until very smooth (2-3 minutes). At this point you can leave as is or place in a seive and strain into a bowl. I like my sauces very smooth, so I strained mine, but you don't have to.
3. Season to taste with salt and serve warm, room temperature, or cold. NOTE: you can make this up to 3 days ahead of time.

Zucchini Roses

1. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly peel zucchini on each side, and stop when you see seeds. Do not use the first slice, that much skin does not bend as well.
2. Place 5-6 slices on a microwaveable plate and nuke for about 15-20 seconds. You want it pliable enough to roll. Everyone's microwave is different power, so I recommend testing one slice at 15 seconds; if it rolls easily and ends stick together it's good, otherwise nuke in increments of 5 seconds.
3. Microwave one batch (1 plate) and then roll. Roll some tightly and others loosely for a varied look. Make sure the end sticks to the zucchini, too. Continue until you finish all the zucchini.
4. Place in fridge or set aside on counter until you finish the scallops.

Caramelized Scallops

1. Dry scallops well. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Heat half of the clarified butter in a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat until it ripples and begins to smoke. (You may be tempted to use nonstick pan, but a stainless steel pan will produce a more caramelized exterior.)
3. Sprinkle scallops lightly with salt and add to pan, without crowding. (Cook scallops in two pans or in two batches; if they touch, they will steam rather than caramelize.)
4. Without moving the scallops, cook until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, about 3 to 3 ½ minutes. Turn scallops and caramelize the second side.

 ​​Assembly

1. Spoon yellow bell pepper coulis onto plate. Place fish, meat or vegetarian option on top of coulis. Arrange zucchini roses and blackberries around your protein. Garnish with microgreens or fresh herbs.

NOTE: I have cooked a batch of Trader Joe's frozen scallops (defrosted), and fresh scallops from my favorite excellent local fish monger, and everyone liked Trader Joe's the best​.