Farmers' Market Friday - Fresh from the Sea {Seared Scallops over Israeli Couscous & Sauteed Zucchini}

We have an unusual situation here. El Syd is allergic to fish. However, unlike most people who are allergic to shellfish, he's just the opposite, he cannot have finned/boned fish, but can have shellfish to his heart's content. So, when I saw that scallops were available at the farmers' market recently, I jumped at the chance to buy some and fix them for dinner. Scallops are one of my most favorite seafood items - that sweet, rich taste that varies from mild to a bit briny is just so delicious and decadent.

If you've never had scallops before, but are interested in trying them, cooking at home gives you the opportunity to purchase just a few and try them as an appetizer portion. If you're really unsure, buy just one and sear it up. Have the whole family take a taste.  When buying sea scallops, they should be fresh, large (U10- meaning there are under 10 scallops per pound), ivory in color, and slightly sticky to the touch. The best kept scallops will be designated as "dry", and that's really the only kind you want. At times, the scallops you see at the grocery store are in a white liquid.  This means that they've been dipped in phosphates to extend their shelf life and to add water weight. These scallops will also appear pure white when the natural color of sea scallops range from white to off-white to pale shades of orange, pink and tan. When cooked, wet scallops will seep out all of that retained water and fill up your pan with that liquid, resulting in a steamed type item and a less than satisfactory result. Believe me, you don't want them...stick to the dry scallops

Scallops are highly perishable. I recommend only buying them on a day when you will be preparing and eating them. Ask your fish counter for an extra bag of ice to keep them on until you get home. Once home, keep them on that ice in the coldest part of your fridge until you're ready to cook them up. Searing scallops is one of the easiest and quickest ways of cooking and yields very impressive results. Since they do cook so quickly, I recommend preparing all of your side dishes prior to getting to work on the scallops. 

Items from the market

• dry scallops 

• olive oil

• zucchini squash

Israeli Couscous

Israeli Couscous is a toasted pasta that is shaped like small pearls or beads. It is very simple to make and serves as a great foundation for the rest of this dinner.

• 1/2 lemon

• 1/2 C chopped onion

• 1 1/4 C Israeli Couscous

• 2 C chicken broth (or water, if you prefer)

• olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat oven to 350F. Thinly slice lemon and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Place slices on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven until they take on a light color - about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and then chop fine.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-hi heat. Saute chopped onion until they are golden color. Add couscous and allow to toast in the onion and olive oil.
3. Add liquid and lemon bits. Stir and bring to a steady simmer (reduce heat if needed). Cover (stir occasionally) and let simmer until liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender (about 12 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and hold over low heat until scallops are ready.

Sauteed Zucchini

• 1 large squash, thinly sliced (or 2 medium; 4 small)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• fresh garlic, thinly sliced

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add sliced zucchini and cook, stirring frequently to ensure all pieces cook evenly. After the squash begins to soften, you may want to reduce the heat a bit to make sure the squash doesn't burn. 
2. Add garlic to the saute pan and continue to cook squash to your preferred level of doneness. (I like to have a mixture of some pieces with a bit of snap and crunch and some soft and caramelized.) 
3. Remove from heat and hold until ready to plate.

Seared Scallops

• Enough sea scallops to serve 2-3 per person (this will depend upon what else you're serving and if you intend for this to be an appetizer portion or a dinner portion.)

• 2 tsp butter

• 2 tsp olive oil

• salt and pepper

1. Rinse the scallops with cold water to remove any grit. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel.
2. Add butter and oil to a heavy 12-14 inch sauté pan and heat over high heat.
3. Once the fat is hot (almost to the point of smoking), add the scallops, making sure they don't touch each other.
4. Sear the scallops for about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn scallops using tongs. and sear for another 1 1/2 minutes.
5. The scallops should have about a 1/4 in crust on each side and be slightly translucent in the center. Remove the scallops to a plate where they will continue to cook for a couple of minute and finish to perfection.

Putting it all together: 

On individual dishes, plate one serving of couscous. Top with sauteed squash and then, nestle seared scallops on top. Drizzle with a bit of the pan juices and enjoy!

A quick and easy dish that is sure to impress, these scallops were delicious. 

Happy Cooking!
sld

Disclosure: I was invited by Wolf Ranch Farmer's Market to visit and meet the vendors and was provided Market Money with which to purchase ingredients for use in the Farmers' Market Friday posts.  I was not compensated to write this article and all opinions are my own.

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