Rosé Tasting Party with The Urban Grape

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View the full recap and get recipes over at Boston.com Thanks to the team for a great shoot! Styling and Food Recipes: DomestiKatedLife Wine And Event Space: The Urban Grape Shoot Coordination: All Heart PR Floral Arrangements: Boston Pollen Vintage Glassware: Farm & Fable

Blackened Scallops with Grilled Romaine + Citrus Salad

Blackened Scallops with Grilled Romaine + Citrus Salad

Blackened Scallops with Grilled Romaine + Citrus Salad

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

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.

Radish, Cherry + Goat Cheese Salad

Radish, Cherry + Goat Cheese Salad

We went back and forth on what we wanted to do for our fifth wedding anniversary. At one point we had talked about taking a little weekend trip somewhere within driving distance.  As we discussed it further, the more it seemed like the wrong time for us to be going away and that it'd be so much more enjoyable to stay local. That's when we decided to instead make reservations at Oleana. We've been to most of the big dining establishments here, but Oleana was still one that we hadn't been to. Based on the reaction I got when I mentioned this to my food-loving friends, the fact that we hadn't dined there was a real shame. Going in, our expectations were exceedingly high and because of that there was a very strong possibility that we'd leave disappointed. "Well, the food was decent, but the service was terrible" or "I can't believe they would pair that with that! Gross!" Nope. None of that. The service was friendly and attentive and the patio area of the restaurant was the most romantic environment to celebrate an anniversary. The food was all executed beautifully: Buratta and fried eggplant. Octopus shish, Egyptian garlic sauce, sprouted lentils & fresh chickpeas. Spinach falafel, tahini sauce, beet yogurt & cress. Baby farm greens, pistachio freekah, cherries, homemade string cheese. Ok, I'll stop.

Radish, Cherry + Goat Cheese Salad

It was a special treat to go out for a few meals this weekend after doing a lot of cooking these last couple of weeks. I've been so inspired by all the produce that's graced the markets. I often just go to the store with no idea what I want (which can sometimes be a dangerous thing). I'll grab three or four items, developing a dish on the spot. And that's how this salad came to be. Certainly not traditional, but it works. A bit of a bite from the radish, sweetness from cherries, and a little tang from the goat cheese make this a lunch I plan on coming back to.

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Radish, Cherry + Goat Cheese Salad

Servings 4 as a side, 2 as an entree

Ingredients

4 cups arugula, washed, dried and coarsely chopped 6-7 radishes, thinly sliced 1 cup cherries, pitted (left whole or you can cut in half) 3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled Fresh dill Fresh mint Juice of half a lemon 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon honey Coarse sea salt or Kosher salt

Instructions 

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and honey.  Add the arugula, radishes, and cherries and toss to coat the salad with the dressing.

2. Transfer to a large serving platter. Sprinkle goat cheese over salad.

3. Using kitchen scissors, cut the dill and mint over the salad.

4. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt before serving.

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