As I mentioned before, I’m trying to cook seafood at least twice per week. I’m pretty good at cooking fish, but I’ve had to check out some cookbooks from the library to keep our meal rotation from getting stale, so to speak. I stumbled upon a recipe from Chef John’s Food Wishes blog that really impressed me. Not only did it taste delicious, but it went from the refrigerator to the table in about 20 minutes. There’s even a video that displays all of the steps involved.
Since I’m often scrambling to get dinner ready after the wife finishes one of her late afternoon sewing lessons, quick, quality recipes are invaluable. This one was so surprisingly good, and was such a wife-pleaser, that I thought I’d add it to my virtual recipe tin.
I’m amazed that restaurants get away with charging $25+ for 3 sea scallops served over a handful of micro greens. Sea scallops cost around $20 per pound. You get 10-20 per pound, depending on the size. They pan-fry just like little steaks, so every person out there has the ability to prepare them just right.
Why pay a premium for something you can do just as well at home? Just make sure you get the biggest ones you can find, and make sure they have that briny smell of fresh seafood.
Seared Scallops with Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and membranes removed
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 12 large fresh sea scallops
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 oranges, peeled and cut in between sections as segments
Directions
1. Place jalapeño, rice vinegar, olive oil, and Dijon mustard in a blender. Puree on high until mixture is completely liquefied, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
2. Season scallops with sea salt and cayenne pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat. Place scallops in skillet and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Garnish scallops with orange segments and drizzle jalapeño vinaigrette over the top.
Click here to watch the preparation video.
The only thing I did differently was serve the scallops over some micro greens and make use of a tomato that was getting a little ripe. Next time, I’ll add some sliced avocado as well.
