Super Simple Scallops

I don’t need to tell you how super yummy shellfish day was, but I had to include one of the best dishes we were taught to make that day. Favorite because A) it is super simple, and B) because it’s super tasty. We did use a different dressing at school, but this dressing has a lot less ingredients for you to search for. And, p.s. if you want to be very fancy, I would make the dressing in a squeeze bottle and squirt a few drops of the dressing around the plate to make a very impressive (but secretly effortless) presentation.

Super Simple Scallops

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

2 sea scallops

1 tbs. olive oil

lime vinaigrette (recipe below)

2 cups mixed mesclun salad

½ avocado sliced (about 1-inch thick)

2 slices of supremed grapefruit (click here for what the heck supreme is)

Lime vinaigrette

3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tsp each of finely chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley) and fresh basil

salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

Small jar with lid or squeeze bottle for dressing

Kitchen towel

Skillet

Small pairing knife

Prepare vinaigrette by tossing all ingredients into a jar. Seal tightly. Cover the lid with the kitchen towel and shake vigorously until well blended. Refrigerate while preparing other ingredients.

Pat scallops dry with a paper towel. Generously salt and pepper each side. Have your hand be about a foot above the food so that salt and pepper are evenly distributed. Score the top and bottom of each scallop about 1/8 inch deep, as if you are playing tic tac toe.

In a hot skillet heat olive oil until the pan just begins to smoke. Gently place scallops and sear each side for about 3 minutes for rare.

Toss mesclun salad with the vinaigrette. Place the salad into the middle of a clean plate and top with avocado and grapefruit. To prevent discoloration, you can squeeze a little grapefruit juice over the avocado slices.

Top the salad with scallops for a lovely light lunch or first course.