For his first course, Dimitri chose seared bacon-wrapped scallops. Jumbo scallops were wrapped in raw rashers of maple bacon and tossed in a very hot non-stick pan and allowed to sear to golden brown for two minutes on each side. Dimitri then added sliced white onions to the pan just before the scallops were done, caramelised them, and added a dash or two of Canadian maple syrup. He let the flavours blend, with the maple syrup helping to caramelise the onions and scallops. The scallops were served in a giant shell, on a bed of caramelised onions and toasted almonds and pecans, which gave the plate not just texture but a fatter, fuller taste. To finish, the whole dish was drizzled with balsamic vinegar reduced to a syrupy texture and shaved Parmesan cheese; this was a plate even tastier than it sounds, and may well be the best scallops dish on the island.
Dimitri’s main course was the Black Pearl peppercorn steak. He rolled a raw 10-oz strip loin (trimmed of most of its fat) in oven-roasted and cracked peppercorns, so that peppercorns stuck to the outside and were also imbedded in the meat. The only seasoning used was Black Pearl’s own steak spice. The peppercorn-loaded steak was grilled to a perfect medium-medium-rare. The peppercorns further charred in the grilling process, adding more flavour. It was served with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned grilled vegetables. To take some of the heat of the spicy, highly peppered steak, a wine-mushroom demi-glace, heavy with mushrooms and chives, was poured on top of the steak only. He finished with crusted crème brûlée, served with fresh fruit. Scallops, steak & memories“The seared bacon-wrapped scallops is one of our signature dishes at Black Pearl,” said Dimitri. “It’s kind of like a dessert before dinner because it has a little sweetness to it. I chose the scallops because Black Pearl is a seafood and steak restaurant and I wanted to do a seafood dish. “The crab cakes are very good, too, but I get more of a ‘wow!’ factor when I serve the scallops. They look great and they taste great. I like the shell presentation, too, it’s unique.” “I really wanted to show off the peppercorn steak,” said Dimitri. “Anybody can cook a steak. I wanted to show what you could do with one without damaging the quality. It’s something no one else does around here. It was a little slow to take off but, once people tried it, it became very popular. “It was a very popular steak at my father’s restaurant, too – he’s had a seafood-steakhouse for 36 years in Canada called the Lord Nelson. This is my version. A lot of people don’t bother to roast the peppercorns but that’s what gives it that unique smoky flavour. “We make our own steak spice here – it’s a secret recipe I learnt from my father, so I can’t tell you what it is, but it’s good.
We don’t put on too much steak spice on this steak because there’s already so much peppers. “We don’t marinate our meats at all. I like to add grilled vegetables; anything with grill marks is good in a steakhouse, I think. I like the garlic mash, too. It’s good with the gravy. We actually have that sauce as a side dish, it’s so popular, people often want to add more.”
“I like a simple, clean dessert in the crème brûlée,” said Dimitri, “and it’s nice and light, especially after a heavy meal. It’s one of my own favourites. When I was young and working in my father’s restaurant, I’d do the crème brûlée. “One night, I froze one by accident. It was delicious, like crème brûlée ice cream; but I’m not sure everyone else would like it as much as me”.
