Seth Arnold, Executive Chef of West Chester Golf & Country Club (West Chester, Pa.) says his recipe for seared dayboat scallops and pork belly—with grits, maxibel beans, pickled sugar baby watermelon, jalapeño basil honey and micro radish—highlights ingredients from the Philadelphia region.
“I am proud to be true to the locality of the ingredients,” Arnold says. “I believe when you start with superior ingredients, it automatically gives you an edge in terms of preparing the dish.”
Arnold shares his recipe at the link below, and his thoughts on why this dish works so well.
Club + Resort Chef (C+RC): What inspired this recipe?
Seth Arnold (SA): I am inspired by local produce, sustainable proteins—and highlighting them with a globally inspired flair. In this recipe, I used inspiration from regional American cuisine, with ingredients from around the Philadelphia region.
C+RC: How would you describe the flavors?
SA: The flavors all complement each other. The proteins both pair well with each other and the garnishes. The honey really pops with the seasonal watermelon, and balances nicely with the grits.
C+RC: Why do you believe it’s a successful dish?
SA: I believe this is truly a successful dish because, where most people might assume these flavors and technique are simple, there are tremendous layers and depth to the ingredients used: simple food done properly and technically correct.
C+RC: Do you think other chefs could be inspired by this dish?
SA: I like to think other chefs could be inspired by this dish, as it really highlights using quality ingredients in a thoughtful way. Also, I like having the leftover jalapeño basil honey and pork belly for sandwiches. The pork belly can be vacuum-sealed or wrapped in 1-2 lb. pieces, frozen and pulled for future usage. We use it frequently for brunch.
Seared Dayboat Scallops and Pork Belly
Click here for the full recipe.