Scallops, Corn & Basil in Foil Packets

You want something easy for dinner tonight?

This looks fancy, but you can put it together in a few minutes.

You don't have to heat up your kitchen, everything steams in these lovely foil packages (also called "hobo packs") on the grill outside.

It is sort of a soup, since everything steams and makes this nice broth, so get your soup spoons ready.

If you are wondering what these strange flowery things are, they are fennel flowers.

They are all over my community garden (before the fennel plant, a.k.a. anise, goes to seed). The smell is intoxicating to me, and they are a delicacy, since they are only around for about 1 week or so each summer. I don't expect you to use them in this dish, but I couldn't resist.

Scallops, Corn & Basil in Foil Packets (adapted from Food & Wine): (serves 4

12 large sea scallops (I used 3 large New England sea scallops for each foil packet)
4 tbsp of good dry white wine for each packet (Pinot Grigio or Gavi is good)
4 large garlic cloves, sliced (1 for each packet)
olive oil
4 tbsp butter (1 tbsp of each packet)
kosher salt & pepper
16 cherry tomatoes (4 for each packet), sliced in half
big handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped
about 1 cup of corn kernels (defrosted, if using frozen)
fennel flowers (if you are lucky to find them)

Using heavy duty foil, make bowl size packages, it's tricky, but you can do it. Leave room on the sides for folding. I use 2 layers, so there is no leakage.

On the bottom of each package, pour in about 4 tablespoons of white wine.

Lay 3 sea scallops in the wine and spoon some corn around the scallops.
Place a tablespoon of butter in each package.

Next throw in the halved tomatoes (about 4 per package).

Drizzle each package with olive oil and season with kosher salt & pepper.
Sprinkle the fresh basil leaves and whatever other herbs you are using (I placed a bouquet of fennel flowers on top of each).

Bring the sides of the foil together and fold to form neat packages.

Grill the foil packs over a medium-hot grill until steam inflates them and you hear the juices bubbling, about 12 minutes.

Carefully open the foil packs to let the steam escape, then transfer the scallops, vegetables and their broth to shallow soup bowls and serve immediately.

Serve with a nice hunk of garlic bread and dinner is served!

Pin It

Share|