There’s a reason why you feel hungry after using cannabis.
According to a 2014 study by the Université De Bordeaux, THC interacts with the olfactory receptors in your brain, enhancing your sense of smell. An enhanced sense of smell can make you crave food, but can also make the food you’re craving taste better.
To that end, cannabis can enhance your meal experience, allowing you to pick up all those subtle flavor notes you might have otherwise missed. And if you’re going to use cannabis before a meal, what better way than an appetizer of an amuse-bouche – that’s French for a small bite course designed to tickle your pallet and awaken your taste buds.
Think of it like a pre-dinner cocktail, long held as a traditional part of a nice meal, designed to relax you and get you ready to enjoy your food – only better. And just like enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail doesn’t make you a drunk, a cannabis-infused appetizer doesn’t make you a burnout.
It’s just another way to add to your dining experience, for yourself and your dinner guests.
Who you will surely impress with this recipe, which marries the sweet flavor of scallops with artichoke hearts and bacon. Be careful combining cannabis and alcohol, but if you would like to pair this with wine, a nice German Gewürztraminer is recommended, or even take the time to make your own cannabis-infused cocktails.
Seared scallop amuse-bouche with bacon and cannabis-infused artichoke puree
30 Minutes
Total Time
10 Minutes
Prep
4
Servings
Ingredients
4 large sea scallops
2 strips of bacon
1 can artichoke bottoms, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons cannabis-infused heavy whipping cream
Canna-butter or cannabis-infused bacon fat, for frying
Fresh basil, chiffonade, for garnish
Kosher salt
White pepper
Directions
1. Start by making or acquiring your cannabis-infused products. The procedure for infusing cannabis into bacon fat is largely the same as infusing it into butter.
2. Fry your bacon strips until crispy. Set them on a towel to drain until they are cool enough to handle. Rough chop the bacon into small pieces.
3. In a small saucepan combine the chopped artichoke bottoms and cannabis-infused cream. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until warm. Season with kosher salt and white pepper. Place your artichoke mixture in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, adding more cream as necessary. Keep warm.
4. In a heavy skillet heat your canna-butter or cannabis-infused bacon fat on medium-high. You want enough fat to come about a quarter of the way up the sides of your scallops. Once your fat is hot, sear your scallops until golden on the top and bottom. They shouldn’t take more than 1-2 minutes on each side.
5. To serve, place a dollop of the artichoke puree in the center of each plate. Place one scallop on top of the puree. Top with the bacon bits, and a bit of chiffonade basil for color.
As with any edible, give it some time to settle into your system. You should begin to feel the effects right around the time you’re ready to move on to the next course.
And, if cannabis-infused cuisine has piqued your fancy, try some of our favorite edibles or unwind after a long day with a nicely infused beer.
