Seared Scallops over Mache Fennel and Orange Salad

 

 

 

Seared Scallops over Mache Fennel and Orange Salad

Serves 2

 

For the salad:

4 cups  mache, frisee, or your favorite green

1/2 cup shaved fennel

1/4 cup shaved red onion

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice or orange champagne vinegar such as Trader Joe’s

1 tbsp good olive oil

Arrange greens, fennel and red onion on 2 plates, and season with S&P, orange juice and oil

 

 

For the scallops:

8 wild caught dry* sea scallops

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon butter or good coconut oil

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Remove the small muscle that runs along the side of the scallop, rinse and pat dry.

 

 

Add salt and pepper.  Gently add to hot pan, giving them plenty of real estate, and sear 1-1/2 minutes per side.  They should have a golden crust on the outside, and be translucent inside. Arrange over salad and serve.

 

 

*Sea scallops are often soaked in a phosphate solution to whiten the scallops.  They absorb this liquid chemical, so you are paying for water weight vs. scallop weight.  The phosphate liquid is released in the pan while cooking, and you will wind up with steamed, not seared scallops.  If not labeled, ask your fish monger if the scallops are “dry.”  If you cook your scallops and notice a soapy liquid in the pan, and the scallops shrink significantly, you have just paid $20+ per pound for phosphate and water saturated scallops.