Hello friends!
Guess what! When you read this, I will be on my way to UTAH!
WITH STEVEN!!
That’s right! My special gentleman and I will be meeting my family out in Utah for our annual Sundance ski trip!
(Although this year, Sundance was cancelled and is happening only virtually!)
I am *beyond* excited.
All my favorite people, gathered in one place! Hooray!
But first, I want to share tonight’s DELICIOUS recipe.
Introducing my Spicy Scallop Salad!
I have this for lunch or dinner probably three times a week!
Because it’s a) so darn tasty. b) So darn healthy. And c) so darn easy and fast to make!
Plus, in addition to being Specific Carb Diet friendly, it is ALSO gluten free, Keto and Paleo!
I promise you, this will win over anyone who turns their nose up at salad as “rabbit food.”
I’m telling you – it’s hearty, flavorful and leaves you craving it just about every day!
Packed with heart healthy protein, good fats, and lots of veggies! This powerhouse salad will be a family favorite in no time!
Here’s What You Need: (Serves one hungry gal)
1/2 lb of sea scallops
Old Bay seasoning — this is a critical ingredient!!
Olive Oil
1 large carrot, diced
6 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 or 1 whole avocado, diced (depending on how hungry you are. I usually have a whole avocado, but I recognize, that’s a lot of avocado for one salad)
4 large kale leaves, stems removed, and massaged
Dressing:
3 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
Salt and pepper
Tools:
Small nonstick frying pan
Tongs
Large mixing bowl
Good Chef’s Knife
Small mixing bowl or pyrex
Directions:
After removing the stems of the kale, massage it in a large bowl by drizzling it with 1-2 Tbsp EVOO and sea salt. Then get in there with your hands and massage it – like kneading dough or washing your clothes. As you break down the kale fibers, you’ll notice it getting a deep emerald green color, and the texture becomes beautifully soft!
Then, add your chopped veggies and dressing and give it a toss! (I like to mix the dressing in a separate container and whisk it together instead of just adding the separate ingredients directly to the salad.
To cook the scallops: you want them to be bone dry. So after you rinse them, put them on a paper towel, and dry them completely with another paper towel. Sprinkle the one side with Old Bay seasoning, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. *Old Bay has salt in the spice mixture, so you don’t need to add more.*
You want your pan to be very hot. (Stainless steel works great, here!) Add about 3-4 Tbsp Olive oil or avocado oil to a large pan. Heat until right before it starts smoking. Then starting at the “12 o’clock” position, place your scallops (seasoning side-down) one by one clockwise around the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Once they are all placed in, let them sear untouched for 1:45. (Set a timer, it goes fast!) During this time, sprinkle the other side with more Old Bay seasoning.
Then, using tongs, start again at the 12 o’clock position and flip each scallop going clock wise.
Set another timer and let cook for another 1:30.
After a minute and 30 seconds, take them off the pan and put on a plate to rest. (Otherwise they will continue to cook on the pan.) Drizzle with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Serve immediately.
To plate, top your tossed salad greens with your scallops, and dig in!
*Chef’s note: though it is pictured with the scallops artfully on top of the salad, when I’m eating this, I actually like to toss the scallops into the salad, because it allows the flavorful oil from the scallops to incorporate into all the kale and salad ingredients.
Oh my gosh, words cannot do justice to the deliciousness that IS this salad!
I mean, my mouth is literally watering as I’m sitting here writing this post.
If you’ve never had Old Bay seasoning before, this is your invitation to purchase it. Seriously, if you think you don’t like seafood, I’m willing to bet it’s just because you’ve never had it with Old Bay! It’s a cajun spice blend that is salty, a little but spicy (not too much!), and just has all the flavors that pair with seafood! I go through a jar of this every month!
And in this salad, it absolutely makes the scallops sing!
There’s something about the spicy, subtly sweet scallops, with the buttery avocado, and the earthy kale that tastes like a delicious blend of olive oil and salt — it’s phenomenal!
And speaking of the kale — I LOVE kale. And I didn’t used to. But that’s just because I wasn’t making it properly. Because yeah — raw kale…tastes like grass.
But when you really massage it with a generous slug of olive oil and olive oil, it becomes a new experience, truly! It’s no longer rough and coarse, but soft and pliable and not bitter at all. It tastes absolutely phenomenal.
Add to that the bright zing from the champagne vinaigrette — it’s out of this world!
Whatever you do – make this salad. Your tastebuds, your heart, your muscles, your immune system, and your tummy will thank you!
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7 responses to “Spicy Scallop Salad!”
Very nice post I like it thank you so much
Yum yum… Looks awesome!
Umm, yes please! You are a chef, Caralyn! Be well. ❤️
Oh this looks soo delicious….
I will ask my mum if I could make it with her someday!
Have a great time
Yum!
EVERYTHING goes better to best when cooked with scallops. Well, except pistachio ice cream; that doesn’t go very well cooking with scallops. 😅