I can remember back to the days of being asked "where do you want to go for your birthday?" and the answer was almost always Red Lobster or Shogun. As I got older, Shogun almost always won out because who doesn't love dinner and a show?! Then a newer place opened a little closer (and cheaper) to us called Sushi Rock and that became a more frequented dinner spot for our family of six...so much so I'm pretty sure the owner recognized us whenever we came to eat! They have this shrimp sauce that is out of this world good, but I know, without even asking, that it's not good for me. Haha. Never mind the quantity of food we would get. I pretty much always left thinking I didn't have room for anything else and I wouldn't be able to eat again for days! Luckily, this recipe is filling, but won't make you feel ill afterwards. It's got lots flavor without the guilt.
Seared Scallops and Hibachi Style Vegetables
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minute
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2
Special Tools:
2 large saute pans
1 oil splat screen
Ingredients:
For the scallops:
1 pound of sea scallops
1 tbsp of ghee
1 tbsp of coconut aminos
salt and pepper to taste
For the vegetables:
2 medium zucchinis
1 medium-large yellow onion
1 large carrot
6 oz of sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp of sesame oil
1
tbsp of coconut aminos
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp of toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
1. Prep your vegetables. Cut the zucchinis in half length wise, and then cut each half into quarters length wise. Then I chopped those into about inch long pieces or so. For the onion, cut the ends off, then cut the onion in half horizontally and chop each half into thick half rings. Then cut the half rings into thirds. For the carrot, peel and cut at a slanted angle. For the mushrooms, I chopped them at least in half or slightly smaller if they were bigger pieces. *You can cut the vegetables however you want. I just liked the idea of making them look like they do in the restaurant.
2. Prep your scallops. Rinse under cold water and pat dry them with paper towels. Sprinkle one side with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat one sauté pan with 1 tbsp of sesame oil on medium-high heat (around 7). When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot and mushrooms and begin moving the vegetables around. Add the ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the zucchini and coconut aminos and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes. You want the vegetables to still be slightly crunchy, but cooked through. In the last minute, add the toasted sesame oil for some extra flavor. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds.
4. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of ghee into the other sauté pan and allow it to melt on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the scallops to the pan, seasoned side down. Use the plat screen if the ghee starts to pop a little. Cook for about 3 minutes. Flip them over and add 1 tbsp of coconut aminos to the pan and cook for an additional 3 minutes. *Don't overcrowd the pan or you'll steam the scallops. You might need to cook them in two batches, in which case you'll just put 1/2 the ghee and 1/2 the coconut aminos in the pan each time.
5. Pile the veggies high and add the scallops on top! Devour. It's scrumptious!!
Why does flying have to be so expensive?! I mean really, $500 to fly less than 1000 miles? I truly do not understand this. Being away from my family for so long stinks and airlines are not making it any easier to close the gap. Now if I drove to Jacksonville first, then the price drops by almost $150, but now I have the inconvenience of driving two and half hours, leaving my car unattended at an airport for a week, paying that fee, and then paying the cost of gas there and back. For that, I just pay the extra and fly out of my hometown. Alas, I continue my search, hoping that I can find something reasonable and won't make my stomach churn at the price. Any pilots out there want to log some hours and fly me up?
Let's move on to something that doesn't totally bum me out; dinner last night! I have to hand it to Trader Joe's, they really have some amazing products. This entire meal was concocted using items bought from their store. Whoever said they can't taste the difference between wild seafood and farm raised are crazy! Same with organic products. Trader Joe's has some of the best kale I've ever eaten. And it's only $0.30 more than the regular bags!
Pan Seared Alaskan Cod and Sea Scallops with Kale and Carrots
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 2
Special Tools:
2 medium or large saute pans
Ingredients:
4 strips of bacon, chopped
2 wild Alaskan cod filets, about 6 ounces each
1/2 lb of sea scallops (that was 6 large scallops for me)
5 oz of organic kale (I used half of this bag)
2 large carrots, cut into 3-4 sections and then quartered
1 clove of garlic, diced
1/4 cup of thinly sliced and diced red onion.
1/4 cup of chicken broth
1/4 cup of white cooking wine
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
2-3 tbsp of ghee, divided
salt and pepper
1 tsp of dried parsley flakes
Instructions:
1. Place 1 saute pan over medium-high heat and add the chopped bacon. Allow it to crisp up, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and allow grease to drain on a paper towel.
2. Transfer about 2-3 tbsp of rendered bacon fat from the sauté pan to the other sauté pan.
3. Add 1 tbsp of ghee to the first sauté pan and allow it to melt. Then add the carrots and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the carrots start to brown slightly. Add your garlic and onion and allow to cook until the onions are beginning to become translucent, about 2 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse your fish and scallops in cold water and pat dry them. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on one side. Add the parsley to the fish.
5. Add your kale to the pan with the carrots and sauté over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, turning constantly to coat each piece with the ghee and bacon fat.
6. Add the chicken broth, wine, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to the kale and mix well. Cover and simmer for about 3-4 minutes, allowing the juices to evaporate. Then remove from heat and set aside.
7. In the second sauté pan, heat the transferred bacon fat and 1 tbsp of ghee on medium-high. When hot, add the cod and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Set aside on a plate. If there is a lot of fat and ghee left in the pan, then don't worry about adding anymore. If not, add up to 1 tbsp.
8. Turn the heat up a little more and wait about 15-20 seconds for the ghee to begin to brown.
9. Add the scallops, seasoned side down, and sear for 3 minutes on each side or until they have a golden brown crust on both sides.
10. Place the kale and carrots down on a plate, lay the fish and scallops on top, and then sprinkle with the chopped crispy bacon.
