Salsa and the sea
Seared scallops provide elegant protein for flavorful summer dish
With hot weather upon us, it’s nice to be able to make a beautiful meal at home that involves minimal cooking but delivers maximum flavor. This is a restaurant-quality meal that works as an elegant dinner for two but can easily be increased to impress guests.
Scallops purchased fresh from a reputable source are always best. However, I’ve had good luck with packaged frozen sea scallops — you just need to know what to look for. Avoid any treated with chemicals, and make sure sea scallops is the only ingredient listed. Untreated scallops are generally referred to as dry-packed.
Unless you purchase diver-caught scallops, which are hand-harvested, they may contain a small amount of grit. Rinse them under cold running water and pat dry.
To sear scallops, start with a pan that allows plenty of room so moisture evaporates quickly. Crowding a pan with any protein causes the protein to steam rather than brown. Heat the pan over medium-high heat then add oil. The oil should be quite hot, shimmering and ready to smoke.
After placing them in the pan, do not flip until you’re confident a golden crust has formed. This can take two to three minutes depending on the size of the scallops. Flip and cook briefly on the other side until they yield slightly to pressure. Underdone is better than overcooked.
I like to use plum (or Roma) tomatoes for this salsa because they keep their texture when combined with balsamic vinegar. Plum tomatoes are also one of the few tomato varieties of decent quality available outside of summer tomato season, so you can make this dish all year-round with good results.