Roasted Fennel with Asiago and Thyme

Roasting fennel brings out its mellow sweetness; a sprinkling of thyme and grated Asiago dresses it up. If you double this recipe, use two baking sheets so the fennel isn’t too crowded to brown.

• 
  
  2 large fennel bulbs (about 2 lb. total)
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup packed grated Asiago cheese
  
  

Position a rack in the top third of the oven, put a large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 500°F.

Trim the fennel, quarter each bulb vertically, and trim away most of the core, leaving just enough to hold the layers intact. Slice each quarter into 4 wedges.

In a medium bowl, toss the fennel with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and quickly spread the fennel on the sheet, with the largest pieces toward the edges of the pan. Roast until the fennel pieces are almost tender and the bottoms are lightly browned, about 18 minutes.

Flip the fennel, sprinkle with the thyme and then the Asiago, and continue roasting until the cheese is melted and golden, 3 to 5 minutes more. With a spatula, transfer the fennel and any lacy, golden cheese bits to a serving dish.

Seared Scallops with Pumpkin and Herbed Orzo

This stunning dish gets a double dose of pumpkin. Tender chunks of the sautéed flesh are stirred with orzo and the dish is finished with a sprinkling of chopped roasted pumpkin seeds.

For the Orzo

• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  3 cups 1/2-inch-diced peeled, seeded pumpkin
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
  
  


• 
  
  3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. orzo
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram or thyme
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

For the Scallops

• 
  
  1 lb. large all-natural “dry” sea scallops, side muscle removed
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
  
  


• 
  
  2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup dry white wine
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram or thyme
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. coarsely chopped, salted, roasted hulled pepitas
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  

Make the orzo

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and shallot and cook, stirring, until the pumpkin is almost tender and the shallot is golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until the pumpkin is completely tender, about 2 minutes more. Set aside. Cook the orzo in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the water and drain. Add the orzo, parsley, and marjoram to the skillet, along with 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, and stir until blended and heated through, adding more pasta water if necessary, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Cook the Scallops

Pat the scallops dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops to the skillet and cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides yet just barely cooked through, about 1½ minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Stir the shallot and garlic into the butter, add the wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the cream and marjoram and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Return the scallops and any liquid to the skillet and stir briefly over medium heat. Divide the orzo and scallops among four plates and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with the pepitas and parsley and serve.