Illustration by Bob Blumer

B O B  B L U M E R | T H E  S U R R E A L  G O U R M E T

The nation has just endured blizzards, floods, sub-zero temperatures, tornadoes, inaugurations, reprimands and another O.J. trial. With two months of winter weather still to come and the Dow twitching, it can only get worse. There's only one possible solution: It's time for a vacation. Can't take another week off until July? Fear not. It's the perfect excuse for a virtual tropical vacation — surreal style. Just dust off that Hawaiian shirt, turn up the thermostat, mix a blender full of piña coladas, drop a Jimmy Cliff disc in the CD player, follow the attached recipe and let your mind wander (at least until the alarm clock rudely reacquaints you with reality). Scallops Tropicana Ingredients 1 pound fresh scallops 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons butter 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips 2/3 cup coconut milk (not to be confused with coconut cream) 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons shredded coconut 4 scallions, sliced finely 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1. Remove the tough muscle on the side of the scallops. (Most stores will have already done this for you.) 2. Marinate scallops in 4 tablespoons of lime juice for 15 minutes. 3. In a sauté pan over high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and sauté scallops for approximately 1 minute per side, or until you see a hint of brown on the outside. 4. Remove and reserve in a warmed bowl. 5. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining tablespoon of butter. Sauté banana, mango, scallions and 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut for 3 minutes. 6. Add coconut milk, the remaining lime juice and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat and let sauce thicken slightly for 3 minutes. 7. Return scallops to sauce, add two tablespoons cilantro, and simmer for 2 more minutes. Serve immediately on warmed plates. Le Secret: Don't overcook the scallops. The Adventure Club: Buy a real coconut and use its milk and meat in place of the canned milk and shredded coconut. Garnish: Sprinkle remaining shredded coconut and cilantro over top. Serving Suggestion: Serve over cous cous. Wine: Dry Sauvignon Blanc Music To Cook By: Jimmy Cliff, "The Harder They Come" (Soundtrack) Feb. 5, 1997 Questions (and good food jokes) may be e-mailed to the Surreal Gourmet at: SGbytethis@aol.com. Selected answers will appear in this space. A R C H I V E S The Surreal Gourmet archive Previous 5 articles: Eggs Carbonara (01/27/97) Superdips (01/20/97) Roasted Winter Vegetables (01/13/97) A Hunka Hunka Banana Love (01/06/97) New Year's Resolutions (12/23/96) The Surreal Gourmet's Web Site is located at http://surrealgourmet.com. New Bookmark: http://www.salonmagazine.com/food/surrealgourmet.html

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