One of the major differences between our old place and the new house is that we no longer have central A/C. So far, we've done pretty well... making sure to open all the windows at the end of the day as the temp cools and then closing them first thing in the morning. At this point, we do our best to avoid cooking indoors. It's hard to fathom turning on the oven when you're already sweating buckets.
Eric is usually the grill-master in our house, but once in a while, usually when I have a project that necessitates it, I'll get the thing going. Earlier this year, I was contacted by Frontier Natural Products Co-op to do some recipe development and photography for their "Grill the Goodness" campaign featuring their line of organic seafood seasonings. Since we're fully into grilling season, I hope you all enjoy these recipes. I'm fond of all of them, but these scallops, paired with a bright citrus, grilled romaine and avocado salad, is something I could eat every day and never get tired of it.
Once you make this, be sure to check out the other two recipes, Ginger and Honey Glazed Salmon and Grilled Blackened Shrimp, over at the Frontier website.
Blackened Scallops with Grilled Romaine + Citrus Salad
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
For the grilled scallops
20-25 large sea scallops (approximately 3 lbs) 2 tablespoons Frontier Co-op’s Blackened Seafood Seasoning 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the grilled romaine salad
2 hearts of romaine, washed and dried 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the dressing 1 orange, segmented 1 grapefruit, segmented 1 avocado, pit removed and sliced Juice of a lime 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced 1 teaspoon Kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
1.Heat grill to medium-high heat.
2. Pat scallops dry and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Coat with Blackened Seafood Seasoning.
3. In a bowl, whisk together 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, the red wine vinegar, dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
4. Cut the romaine hearts in half lengthwise and brush with vinaigrette.
5. Grill the romaine, cut side down, for two minutes, until it starts to brown. Flip and cook for another minute or two to get some color on it. Transfer to a plate.
6. Grill scallops for 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the scallops and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops. Set them aside on a plate. Cooking scallops for a few minutes at high heat results in a seared outside and a soft, rare inside.
7. In a bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, cilantro, 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper until combined.
8. To make the salad, plate each romaine wedge and top with citrus segments and sliced avocado. Drizzle dressing over salad.
9. Add 5 scallops to each plate next to the salad and serve.
