Sea Food and Eat It
Sometimes I wish I still lived by the ocean. Sure, there's definitely something soothing about the neurons, the salt in the air, the sound of the waves, the relaxed atmosphere and the warm sun on your face. But the best part? The luxury of having the freshest seafood anytime you want it.
And it is just that--a luxury.
One that will forever taint you when you move inland. What people call "fresh" is days older than what you were used to. Whether you want the best tiritas, ceviche prepared al momento, crispy fish a la talla, seafood stew, mariscos a la parrillada (mixed grilled seafood), paella for a group dinner or just a simply grilled lobster, it was yours for the asking.
Knowing what a great source of lean protein seafood is, we have vouched to eat more of it. Saturdays are when we usually head to Groomer Seafood, but we know we need to go see our fish mongers more like twice a week.
Seafood cooks quickly and for those of you who can't or don't want to cook, certain varieties can even be eaten raw! Fish is super low in fat and cholesterol, loaded with omega-3's and other vitamins and minerals and the wide array of choices ensures you'll never tire of the same old, same old. With the warmer weather moving in and the sweltering summer heat looming over our heads, seafood is an easy choice.
Just avoid the top four fish that are high in mercury--shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish. As for those that fall in the middle to lower ranges? Click here.
We opted for scallops which are one of my favorite. These were big sea scallops, too, not bay scallops, and they grill up beautifully.
Normally, we would wrap a piece of bacon around the scallops, grill to perfection and serve over a bed of wilted spinach with an apricot-horseradish sauce. It's a signature appetizer at Morton's from decades ago that I shared here in September 2010.
We both wanted something different. I suggested this recipe--I had a beautiful graffiti cauliflower (purple cauliflower), but David was thinking something else entirely.
This is what he found and it was right on.
We used a Bobby Flay recipe from his Grill It cookbook and, as in typical Bobby Flay style, it was light, tasty and yet truly satisfying. The next time you decide to grill scallops, get hooked on this.
Buen provecho!
Grilled Sea Scallops with Crispy Bacon-Green Onion Relish and Warm Bacon-Onion Vinaigrette
The Cowgirl Gourmet found this recipe in Bobby Flay's Grill It cookbook
Print recipe
If you are a scallop fan, you'll dig this dish. I promise. Meaty scallops paired with a tangy sauce and then topped with crispy bacon and fresh green onions is a combination that's hard to beat.
Serves 2 entrees or 4 appetizers
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided (1 Tablespoon for cooking scallops and 2 Tablespoons for the scallops)
3-4 pieces of nitrate-free applewood smoked bacon, as lean as you can find
2 green onions, white and green parts, rinsed, dried and sliced lengthwise and then thinly sliced
2 smaller shallots of 1 big shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Perfectly grilled sea scallops (recipe follows)
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 8-10 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Transfer to a small bowl, add chopped green onions, toss and set aside.
Reheat the bacon grease in the pan and add the shallots, cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the perfectly grilled scallops to a platter, drizzle the warm bacon-onion vinaigrette over the top and sprinkle liberally with the crispy bacon-green onion relish.
If you're not carb-free like me, I would like this served over polenta, rice, etc. along with a side of sauteed spinach.
Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops
The Cowgirl Gourmet used Bobby Flay's Grill It cookbook
Print recipe
1 lb. sea scallops, muscle removed
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the grill to high.
Dry the scallops well.
Brush the scallops on both sides with oil, making sure they are well coated and season with salt and pepper. Place the scallops on the groll and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes longer until just cooked through, though you do want the center slightly pink.
And it is just that--a luxury.
One that will forever taint you when you move inland. What people call "fresh" is days older than what you were used to. Whether you want the best tiritas, ceviche prepared al momento, crispy fish a la talla, seafood stew, mariscos a la parrillada (mixed grilled seafood), paella for a group dinner or just a simply grilled lobster, it was yours for the asking.
Knowing what a great source of lean protein seafood is, we have vouched to eat more of it. Saturdays are when we usually head to Groomer Seafood, but we know we need to go see our fish mongers more like twice a week.
Seafood cooks quickly and for those of you who can't or don't want to cook, certain varieties can even be eaten raw! Fish is super low in fat and cholesterol, loaded with omega-3's and other vitamins and minerals and the wide array of choices ensures you'll never tire of the same old, same old. With the warmer weather moving in and the sweltering summer heat looming over our heads, seafood is an easy choice.
Just avoid the top four fish that are high in mercury--shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish. As for those that fall in the middle to lower ranges? Click here.
We opted for scallops which are one of my favorite. These were big sea scallops, too, not bay scallops, and they grill up beautifully.
 |
| Each scallop is bigger than a fork! |
We both wanted something different. I suggested this recipe--I had a beautiful graffiti cauliflower (purple cauliflower), but David was thinking something else entirely.
We used a Bobby Flay recipe from his Grill It cookbook and, as in typical Bobby Flay style, it was light, tasty and yet truly satisfying. The next time you decide to grill scallops, get hooked on this.
Buen provecho!
The Cowgirl Gourmet found this recipe in Bobby Flay's Grill It cookbook
Print recipe
If you are a scallop fan, you'll dig this dish. I promise. Meaty scallops paired with a tangy sauce and then topped with crispy bacon and fresh green onions is a combination that's hard to beat.
Serves 2 entrees or 4 appetizers
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided (1 Tablespoon for cooking scallops and 2 Tablespoons for the scallops)
3-4 pieces of nitrate-free applewood smoked bacon, as lean as you can find
2 green onions, white and green parts, rinsed, dried and sliced lengthwise and then thinly sliced
2 smaller shallots of 1 big shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Perfectly grilled sea scallops (recipe follows)
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 8-10 minutes.
Reheat the bacon grease in the pan and add the shallots, cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
If you're not carb-free like me, I would like this served over polenta, rice, etc. along with a side of sauteed spinach.
Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops
The Cowgirl Gourmet used Bobby Flay's Grill It cookbook
Print recipe
1 lb. sea scallops, muscle removed
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the grill to high.
Dry the scallops well.
Brush the scallops on both sides with oil, making sure they are well coated and season with salt and pepper. Place the scallops on the groll and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes longer until just cooked through, though you do want the center slightly pink.
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