Jim Shanley of Shanley Farms was the first person in the United States to do a commercial planting of finger limes in 2004, largely because he was drawn to their many culinary applications. They are perfect for adding a burst of citrus flavor to any dish, sweet or savory.
Jim’s favorite way to enjoy them is a rich Beurre Blanc sauce infused with finger lime zest served over pan-fried scallops, with a generous sprinkling of finger lime “pearls” on top. It sounded so good that we asked him for his recipe – keep reading to find out how to make the dish at home!
FINGER LIME BEURRE BLANC & SCALLOPS
Recipe from Jim Shanley of Shanley Farms
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup white wine
- Zest of 2 Citriburst Finger Limes (outer part grated off)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 shallots, finely diced
- 2 sticks butter, cut into small pieces
- 7-9 Citriburst Finger Limes (1.4 oz bag of Shanley Farms Finger Limes)
- 14-16 medium size scallops
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, place the white wine, finger lime zest, heavy cream and shallots. Cook the ingredients on medium-high for 8-10 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to 1/4 and is the consistency of a thin syrup.
Reduce the heat to low. While stirring constantly, slowly add the pieces of butter one at a time and whisk each piece in so that it is well incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
For scallops, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Cook the scallops in the butter approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the scallop.
To finish, place the scallops on a plate and drizzle with the beurre blanc sauce. Sprinkle finger lime pulp on top of the scallops by gently squeezing the pulp out of the rind (use half of a finger lime per scallop).
Enjoy!
