Lime Seared Scallops Over Baby Spinach Food

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH GINGER-LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and wrap them tightly in foil. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (If you are using larger sweet potatoes, they may require 15 minutes more in the oven.)
• Using a paring knife, remove the small hard "foot" from the edge of each scallop. Pat scallops dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Put on a medium pot of salted water to boil for the greens.
• Meanwhile, make the ginger butter: Combine butter, ginger, chile and lime zest and juice and stir together until well incorporated. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
• Take a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the scallops without crowding and place over medium-high heat. Add a film of olive oil. When the oil is nearly smoking, add the scallops in one layer and let them sizzle. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for at least 5 minutes. Use a small spatula to check the scallops as they brown, allowing them to color gradually. They should be quite crisp and well caramelized. Turn off heat and flip scallops. Leave in pan until firm to the touch.
• While the scallops are cooking, blanch the bok choy: Cook it for 1 minute in the salted boiling water, then drain and blot on a kitchen towel. Keep warm.
• Remove and place scallops, browned side up, onto warmed serving plates. Surround with the bok choy leaves and halved or sliced sweet potatoes.
• Quickly warm the butter in the cast-iron pan and spoon over everything. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

PAN-FRIED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Fry the scallops in the olive oil for about 1 min until golden, then flip them over and sprinkle over the garlic cloves and chopped fresh red chilli into the pan. Cook for about 1 min more, then squeeze over the juice of the lime.
• Finish off with roughly chopped coriander and salt and pepper. Serve straight away.

SCALLOPS AND SPINACH OVER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a medium skillet, saute spinach in olive oil until heated through. Add lemon juice, garlic powder and water.
• Add scallops and cook for 3 minutes or until done. Be careful not to overcook. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place strained spaghetti in dish and place the scallops and sauce on top. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

LIME SEARED SCALLOPS WITH SPINACH AND CARAMELIZED WALNUTS

Steps:

• For the walnuts, arrange walnuts in a dry nonstick pan over medium heat.
• Sprinkle them with sugar, and cook until they are shiny and brown, 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan continuously.
• Transfer to a small plate and set aside.
• For the scallops, whisk together 2 teaspoons of the oil, tarragon, zest, garlic, shallots, and half of the lime juice in a wide, shallow dish.
• Add scallops, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for no longer than 30 to 45 minutes.
• Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to a large skillet over medium and heat for about 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain scallops from the marinade, and rest them on a paper towel for a moment to dry.
• Gently add scallops to the skillet, trying not to crowd them together. Do not move them, as that makes the searing process more difficult.
• Cook them on one side for 2 to 3 minutes, until the scallops are browned.
• Turn them over, and repeat the process.
• When the scallops are cooked through and opaque, deglaze the pan by adding the rest of the lime juice over the scallops.
• Remove the scallops and the accumulated pan juices, and place them on a covered plate to keep warm.
• For the spinach, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook until just lightly browned.
• Immediately add the spinach and cook briefly until the leaves are wilted.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Form a nest of spinach on each of 6 plates.
• Place a portion of the cooked scallops over the spinach, add a little of the pan juices, and top with the caramelized walnuts. Serve immediately.

LOW CARB SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Drain the scallops, pat them as dry as you can with paper towels and set them aside to dry out further.
• Melt 1 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions to the skillet and saute for about 5 min. Or until light brown and caramelized. Once onions are caramelized, add the minced garlic for about 30 seconds (do not burn)
• Add wine to deglaze the skillet and cook over med-high for a minute or two to blend. Add the spinach, cream, salt and pepper and nutmeg to the skillet and cook over med-low heat for about 5 minutes or until thoroughly blended. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Fold in the cheese and remove from heat.
• Pat the scallops dry again with paper towels, getting them as dry as you can to take a good sear. Season them with salt and pepper and ground fennel (sometimes I use smoked paprika).
• In a clean, large skillet,heat 2 Tbsp of oil over high heat until shimmering hot. Place half of the scallops in the skillet, starting with the 6:00 position and moving clockwise around the skillet. Cook them, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom (resist the temptation to pick them up and look or move them, they will come away from the pan easily once they are seared). Flip them (after about 2-3 minutes and continue to cook about 1 minute longer. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding (and heating)more oil to the skillet before searing if needed.
• Serve over the spinach and enjoy.

SEARED SCALLOPS AND SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse the scallops and pat them dry.
• Mix the flour and seasoning of your choice in a plastic bag; add the scallops and toss to coat.
• Heat the oil in a skillet to medium heat.
• Sear the scallops until browned and opaque, about 5 minutes, turning once.
• Remove the scallops from the skillet and keep them warm.
• Add the spinach and carrots to the skillet; sprinkle with water.
• Cover the skillet and cook on medium-high until the spinach starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
• Add the balsamic vinegar and toss to coat evenly.
• Spoon the spinach and carrots onto four plates and top with the seared scallops.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BABY SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a skillet over high heat. A.
• dd garlic and ginger; cook, stirring, until garlic softens, 1 minute.
• Add spinach; cook until leaves soften and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add soy sauce, sesame seeds and pepper to taste; toss to combine.
• Cover skillet; keep warm while scallops cook.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon sesame oil over medium-high heat in a grill pan or heavy skillet.
• Sear scallops until dark golden, about 2 minutes per side.
• Serve scallops over the spinach.
• Note: To toast sesame seeds, place in a dry skillet over low heat, shaking frequently to prevent burning, until fragrant and barely colored, about 3 minutes.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS & LEMON CHILLI BUTTER

Steps:

• For the butter, mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, then beat well with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps of butter left. Spoon onto a large sheet of cling film, then wrap tightly in a sausage shape. Chill until firm (or put in the freezer if you're short of time).
• Set up a pan with a steamer or suspend a heatproof colander over the top of a pan. Cut the leeks in half lengthways, then slice into long strips, about the thickness of tagliatelle. Cover, then steam for 6 mins until tender, with no signs of squeakiness. Season, then set aside.
• Dry the scallops on kitchen paper and season. Heat a heavy-based pan, then add the oil. Once hot, add the scallops, keeping them close together - this helps the sides to stay straight and tall rather than sagging. Sizzle for 2 mins until caramelised and you can see the heat creeping up the outside. Turn over with a palette knife, then fry for 1 min more. Take off the heat, then add a few good slices of the butter to the pan, spooning over the scallops as it melts.
• To serve, wind a nest of warm leeks in the centre of 4 plates, top each with 3 scallops, spoon over the buttery sauce (it looks smart trickled around the plate), then sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Squeeze over a little lemon juice before you tuck in.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CITRUS SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients together and set aside.
• If steaming green beans, set them inside a steamer basket inside a pot, with a little water. Bring to a boil, cover, steam 2 - 3 minutes, or until bright green and just tender. Uncover.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until smoking.
• Season the oil with salt and pepper. Add the patted dry scallops ( or fish) and sear for 1-2 minutes until golden. Turn over. If cooking a thick piece of fish, finish in a warm oven.
• Spoon flavorful dressing over the scallops and green beans.

BAY SCALLOPS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Serve with hot cooked pasta or rice along with sautéed spinach or Swiss chard.