This month of clean eating has really pushed me into some new territory - cutting out all dairy has not been easy for me. Last night I made a super simple dinner and it was bright, light and delicious.
You will note this recipe has a little bit of butter (I know ..I know, not cleanse-friendly) and you can omit it if you want but seriously, butter + scallops = heaven, so ...your call.
I made the ginger salsa with cherry tomatoes but that is only because tomatoes are not in season, during prime tomato season I suggest using the biggest, prettiest tomatoes you can find. This salsa is great on chicken, fish and steaks too!
I've talked about how to buy sea scallops before but here it is again in case you missed that post:
Most often (unless you are in a seafood market) you will find wet-packed sea scallops but if you can find dry-packed or diver-caught ones then you have found the best quality ones out there and you are in for a real treat. Wet-packed scallops are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) which causes them to retain moisture before they are frozen and shipped which gets them a better price per unit of weight. Bottom line, fresh and wild is always best. If you aren't sure, ask.
Seared Sea Scallops + Ginger Salsa
Serves 2
Ingredients 10 Wild Sea Scallops 2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes, Seeded & Chopped 1/4 cup of Chives, minced 2 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, Peeled & Chopped 2 Tbsp Sweet Onion, Minced 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar 1 tsp Fish Sauce 1 Lime, Juiced 1/2 tsp Sugar Pinch of Kosher Salt Pinch of Cracked Pepper 1 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil 1 Tbsp Butter
Method 1. Heat sauté pan - add butter and oil - while the butter is melting, clean your scallops (remove little side-muscle tissue) and dry them well. Season them with salt and pepper. Your butter should be starting to turn golden brown at the edges - this is called brown butter - aka flavor heaven. Add scallops to the pan and sauté 2 minutes on each side - the middle should still be slightly opaque 2. You can made the salsa up to a day in in advance. Toss the tomatoes, chives, ginger, onion, rice vinegar, fish sauce, lime, and sugar in a bowl. Finish with pinch of salt and pepper. Sit aside. 3. Remove scallops from pan and top with salsa. Enjoy!
