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We haven&rsquo;t had cable TV (or satellite, or a paid streaming service) for about nine years, which actually has relevance in my cooking. I learned a lot in the cable days watching Emeril and Alton Brown on the Food Network, and while Iron Chef could also be educational, such an odd fusion of TV styles was more about fun.
				For me, when cooking show options reduced to over-the-air, Cook&rsquo;s Country became a favorite thanks to a good mix of useful new info and some recipes that really satisfied. But once in a while I&rsquo;d flip through the channels and land on Nick Stellino, now billed as &ldquo;storyteller in the kitchen.&rdquo; I stopped for the Sicilian accent, but stayed (and sometimes chuckled) at the quirky fusions created when his native tongue wrestled with English idioms.
				On the onions in this dish: &ldquo;I am suggesting you mince them as fine as you can, so it will be like cream in your mouth.&rdquo;
				On the thick-sliced garlic (often his preferred method): &ldquo;Why do I like to cut them thick? There is a reason for this. As they brown on the outside there&rsquo;s still some stuff on the inside,and the piece of garlic eventually will move across your tongue. &#8230; Garlic in this way is like candy!&rdquo;
				By the way, he insisted you &ldquo;don&rsquo;t get garlic breath from the garlic,&rdquo; but from burnt garlic. As the husband of a woman who eats garlic raw when she suspects a cold is coming on, (and as someone who has eaten raw garlic rubbed on toast since introduced to the concoction by the late, great Boy Scout Troop 16 leader Ed Gundy), I&rsquo;m here to tell you it is the garlic. But Stellino is absolutely right about cooking with thick-cut cloves. It decreases the chances of the garlic getting too browned or burnt, and that can dramatically alter the flavor in the final presentation
				Stellino dubbed this dish &ldquo;Parisa&rsquo;s Scallops,&rdquo; after (he said) &ldquo;the lovely bride of my nephew.&rdquo;
				Obviously, you&rsquo;ve got to at least like scallops or sausage for this to interest you. I like both. But the scallops are key.
				The first several times I tried to make it, frustration boiled over as the scallops wouldn&rsquo;t brown. They also stuck a lot to the pan bottom, regardless of the pan type, and release a lot of water into the oil, further gumming up the cooking effort. Then I came upon an explanation of &ldquo;wet scallops&rdquo; vs. &ldquo;dry scallops,&rdquo; and that made all the difference.
				Wet scallops, the kind I seem to always find in supermarket freezers, are treated with water and sodium tripolyphophate as a preservative. It makes them retain a lot more moisture. This gives them a more rubbery texture and a less enjoyable flavor.
				Most importantly, all that water &mdash; predictably &mdash; makes getting that brown crust exasperating. They poach rather than caramelize. In the past, I even went so far as to take them out of the pan, pat them dry, and start over with fresh oil.
				Dry scallops (I found some at Valley Seafood in Wilkes-Barre) eliminate all of that. They brown nicely in minutes and, to my palate, have a better texture and taste. You do still need to make sure the oil is hot enough before dropping the first scallop in, and to leave them alone for a minute or three. They do best (and may stick less) if you just leave them cook till the crust is there.
				Stellino recommends Marsala wine (I use dry, it&rsquo;s still plenty sweet), but notes you can use any white wine or even a brandy. Be aware the choice will likely have a big impact on taste, even though you don&rsquo;t use much. The sausage is likewise your preference, of course. I like mixing mild and hot Italian, say in a 2 to 1 ratio. Amounts depend on your dinner group size (and whether you are having appetizers and/or sides. I find the amounts here serve two with no accompaniments comfortably.
				And lastly, Stellino introduced me to the French term &ldquo;Arroser,&rdquo; a form of basting. You do it at the end, after flipping the scallops and adding some butter to the olive oil. Spoon some of the fat onto the top (already browned) side of the scallop while the other side cooks.
				Scallops, Sausage and Peas (Parisa&rsquo;s Scallops) Nick Stellino
				10-12 ounces sausage (three links)
				1 to 1-1/2 pounds scallops (dry scallops are best)
				1 onion, minced
				6-9 cloves garlic, sliced thick
				Frozen peas (about half a bag)
				1 cup chicken stock
				Marsala wine (or white wine, or brandy)
				Olive 0il, extra light
				Butter
				Salt and pepper
				Dice or break up the sausage into small pieces, heat oil and add sausage, cook over medium high heat to brown. Add onions and saute for a minute or three, then add garlic and saute another minute, or until a little browning begins to occur. Add peas. De glaze the pan with wine. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer until the sauce thickens.
				Pat scallops dry, salt and pepper each side. Heat oil and add scallops. cook without turning until pan side browns, then flip. Add a pat of butter. Use a spoon to baste the tops of the scallops with the butter/oil mixture (arroser) several times while the other side of the scallops brown.
				Put some of the sausage and pea mixture on a plate, topping with some scallops.

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Scallops, sausage, peas and a fancy French word