Recipes // Scallops in Sauce Chien
Chef Irie’s Seared Scallops in Sauce Chien For the Scallops: 10-12 large Bay Scallops 2 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. ground Black Pepper 2 tsp. Paprika 1 ½ tsp. Cumin 1 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes 2 tbsp. Canola Oil For the Sauce Chien: ½ cup White Onion, roughly chopped 5 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped 1 tbsp. Oregano 1-2 Scotch Bonnet Peppers, whole with stems removed 2 tbsp. fresh Lime Juice 3 tbsp. Canola Oil
1. Gently peel off and discard the “foot” or appendage of each scallop. Toss the scallops, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, and canola oil together and allow to rest for a few minutes. 2. Heat the canola oil in a frying pan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the scallops and sear about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. 3. For the sauce chien, add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse a few times to roughly combine. 4. Add 1 cup of hot water and continue to pulse until the consistency is semi smooth, but still a bit chunky. Serve over hot scallops.
In the Afro-Caribbean themed episode of Taste the Islands Season II, Chef Irie prepares these scallops with French Caribbean sauce chien or ‘dog sauce’, so called because of the bite it has from the spicy peppers blended in. He used 5 scotch bonnets in the original recipe. Follow at your own risk!
Recipe by Chef Irie | Photo: David I Muir
island origins | magazine 41