You see, I wanted to make myself something a little fancy for my last dinner at home. I don't know how often I'll get to cook or eat as I normally do while in Florida, so I figured I'd take some time to treat myself to something lovely.
What is lovely to me?
Scallops that are crisp and caramelized on the outside, and melt in my mouth like pats of butter on the inside. To me, scallops are the marshmallows of the sea.
After I picked up some big sea scallops from the fish monger, I pondered what to pair with them. I ended up grabbing a few things that seemed complementary - organic chickpeas, peppery watercress, a juicy lemon, and some parsley.
The scallops were so fresh, sweet, and easy to cook. Many people are intimidated by scallops, but please don't be! They take but a few minutes and, with a little care, are fantastic.
Seared scallops with millet, chickpeas, and watercress
Ingredients
- 1lb sea scallops
- 1/2 cup millet, uncooked
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1/2 cup watercress
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley
- 2T olive oil, divided
- 2T lemon juice
- 1t lemon zest
- S&P, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare millet. Set aside.
- Prepare scallops. First, check to see that the muscle is removed. Then, pat them dry with a paper towel, as dry scallops sear much better than wet ones. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add 1T olive oil to a skillet on medium high heat. Once skillet is hot, add scallops and cook for 2 minutes on one side. Scallops will let you know when they're done when they lift easily from the pan. Flip and cook for 2 minutes on the other side.
- Combine millet with chickpeas, watercress, parsley, lemon juice/zest, and remaining oil. Stir and heat on warm until greens begin to melt and chickpeas are warmed. Divide millet mixture and scallops between two plates and serve warm.
Serves 2
