Summertime is grilling time. But when you're facing a forecast like ours this week--high heat and humidity, chance of late afternoon thunderstorms--I like to keep the chance of Jon getting struck by lightening to a minimum without skimping on cuisine. Scallops and Brussels sprouts can be marinated in the same ingredients and, when placed over high heat, cook very quickly on the grill.
I buy large, fresh (never pre-frozen), dry sea scallops for this meal. "Dry" means the scallops were not soaked in a solution to prolong their shelf life; "sea" scallops are not only meatier than "bay" scallops, but also won't fall through the slits of your grill grates. Brilliant.
Recipe:
8 dry sea scallops
bunch of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
6 T extra virgin olive oil, divided in half
1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
Clean and pat dry the scallops. Toss them in 3-4 T of olive oil, a lemon squeeze, and salt and pepper. Set aside. Do the same for the Brussels sprouts. Heat one side of your grill to its highest heat; the other, to it's lowest. (Capt. Obvious notes: We have a gas grill.) Place the Brussels sprouts on the side with a lower temperature. After three or four minutes, place the scallops on the side with high-high heat. Cook for three minutes then turn both the scallops and the Brussels sprouts. The outside layers of the Brussels sprouts should be getting pretty crispy by now and can be stuck with a fork. Remove them and set aside. Move the scallops to the cool side of your grill to sear for an additional minute. Yield: 2.
To really bring out the sweetness of the scallops, I like to drizzle the scallops and sprouts with a homemade balsamic reduction--something I make often and keep in the fridge (recipe in a future post, promise!). And keepin' with the simple schtick, I serve this meal with a salad of fresh
greens and slivered onions tossed in a light vinaigrette. Added bonus: Brussels sprouts are high in folic acid, which is good for both mama and bebe, so everybody wins. Enjoy!
xx
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