One of my favorite people to cook for left Las Vegas for my old stomping ground of New York City.

 

When he told me months ago of his plans, I was consumed with many emotions.  I felt joy for him, loneliness for myself, jealousy over his ability to pick up and change his life, and an urge to cook for him one last time.

 

In the past we have shared French Cassoulet and North Carolina BBQ and more Sierra Nevada Pale Ales than either of us care to count.  We jointly hosted a wild Cinco de Mayo celebration and quiet upscale Fourth of July poolside.  I offered to cook a formal dinner for 8 in his honor.  He thought that meant invite 8 people which he did (meaning find service for 10 or he and I don’t eat), but that’s another story for another time.  Due to a death of a loved one and a horrible dip in the brewhouse take home pay (slow season kicked in) we were unable to have the dinner.  

 

I still have the menu I created.  One of these days, perhaps when his endeavors prove successful and he is able to fly back into McCarren for a visit, I will gather his friends and we will do it right.  Til then, I will work on my souffle technique.

 

Ken’s Favorite: Archangels on a Cloud adapted from Susan Simon’s “The Nantucket Holiday Table”  

 

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish drained

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

12 thin slices smoked bacon, cut in half crosswise

24 plump bay scallops, or 12 sea scallops cut in half

 

In a small bowl combine the sour cream, heavy cream, horseradish, lemon juice, and pepper and stir.  Refrigerate until ready for use.

 

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.  Place bacon on a wire rack sitting in a baking pan.  Cook for 8 minutes or until the bacon appears to be half-cooked.  Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

 

Wrap a par-cooked bacon strip around each scallop and secure with bamboo skewers or wooden toothpicks.  Place the loaded skewers on the wire rack and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the scallops are opaque and the bacon crisp.  Serve hot, arranged on a platter with a bowl of the horseradish cream in the center.