One day a week we eat take-out food from restaurants, usually Mexican or Thai. The food is good, but the fact that a meal magically appears with no work is a thing I greatly appreciate. On other days I can't make the meal magically appear, but there are recipes that I manage to prepare in 15 minutes or less, and that can be a very good thing indeed. This recipe is a hodge podge of ideas from the new Cindy Pawlcyn cookbook, Big Small Plates. I had bits and pieces of ingredients--sea scallops, golden raisins, shallots, and kale. An odd fellowship, but it produced a good, quick, and healthy meal. The scallops were seared quickly and served with a raisin and shallot vinaigrette. Frankly, I could have made a meal just on the kale, which was delicious and a nice contrast to the sweet scallops. Far back in the corner of the picture is a mound of couscous, which is always good to have on hand for quick meals.
This particular kale is called Dino Kale and I suppose it looks like
reptile skin to the people who named it that. It was my favorite part
of the meal. Chop the kale roughly and saute it for about 5 minutes in
olive oil and garlic. It wilts quickly. That's all it takes.
Instead of scallops, swordfish or halibut could be used with the vinaigrette.
Sea Scallops With Golden Raisin And Shallot Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Cindy Pawlcyn, Big Small Plates)
The vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
a big pinch of lemon zest
2 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-7 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup golden raisins
Whisk all the ingredients together and set aside while you cook the scallops.
Cooking the scallops
Plan on using at least 4-6 scallops per person. Heat a heavy skillet or grill pan until hot. Brush with oil and cook the scallops on both sides for about 1 minute per side. I like them slightly rare. Remove to plate and spoon the vinaigrette over them.
I love raisins with dark greens, which on their own I find a bit bitter for my taste. The raisins really add just enough sweetness. Your scallops look divine!
Posted by: Lydia | March 20, 2007 at 05:13 AM
oh gorgeous gorgeous! Love to see that golden crust on your grilled scallops! Sher, you really superb espically come to seafood! My husband would bring over scallops (the ones cooked with bacon at restaurants) from his business trip overseas... but you can imagine how awful they looked after the flight, but I think I really crazy for any shellfish so I didn't care =)
Posted by: gattina | March 20, 2007 at 05:57 AM
Just yummy looking. I keep meaning to try this type of kale. I was doing so well with the greens for a while there, but lately I've been on such a kick with the asparagus that I've neglected other veggies. Scallops are one of my very favorites!
Posted by: Kalyn | March 20, 2007 at 06:03 AM
These looks superb, especially the succulent scallops!
Posted by: angie | March 20, 2007 at 06:40 AM
This meal would be a huge hit with my husband - he loves scallops and anything that could be called "greens". Me, I'm a big fan of any meal that "magically appears without work" (especially Thai). :D
Posted by: April | March 20, 2007 at 07:00 AM
Your scallops look great, but it's the kale side dish that really got me going! I LOVE greens.
Posted by: e | March 20, 2007 at 09:03 AM
I have yet to cook with golden raisins yet so this looks like as good a jumping off point as any!
Posted by: Shannon | March 20, 2007 at 09:06 AM
Sher~
We've made swiss chard with raisins, but to be honest, we've never cooked kale! I'll put it on my list!
Posted by: BostonChef | March 20, 2007 at 10:00 AM
Looks very good.
Anne
Posted by: Anne | March 20, 2007 at 10:00 AM
15 minutes...phenomenal...I would love that for dinner!!
Posted by: Tanna | March 20, 2007 at 12:10 PM
It looks so sophisticated, yet so simple and so quick. This,my friend is the real meaning of "fast food".
Posted by: Rose | March 20, 2007 at 12:11 PM
While I love Mexican and Thai, this is the kind of fast food I'd really be able to dig into- and so beautiful!
Posted by: Callipygia | March 20, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Lydia,
Thanks! Yes, the sweet flavor does work really well with the greens. Loved it.
Gattina,
Thank you. Yum--scallops cooked with bacon is delicious, on of my favorites. And never mind if it looks less than perfect--if it tastes great!
Kalyn,
Thanks. I think the asparagus right now is wonderful. We eat quite a lot of it too.
Angie,
Thanks!!! They were very good.
April,
Yes, the magical food is quite nice! But, this meal is pretty close to taking almost no time to prepare. Almost!
e,
I'm with you--love the greens. And they are a snap to fix, especially when they're young like this.
Shannon,
I hope you try the raisons. I do love them. They're so plump and sweet.
Bostonchef,
I think you would like kale very much, if you like chard. I prefer kale, to tell you the truth.
Anne,
Thank you!
Tanna,
Yes--15 minute meals can sometimes make me almost weep in gratitude!
Rose,
I agree. Everything cooked so quickly. I was quite grateful for that!
Callipygia,
Thank you! I love seeing dark green against a pale food. It makes both colors look more vivd.
Posted by: sher | March 20, 2007 at 11:23 PM
Yummy! I love scapllop, and yours make me so hungry!
Posted by: Anh | March 21, 2007 at 01:25 AM
Oh, scallops... i can't wait for the summer when the supply is in abundance straight from the sea.
Posted by: Mae | March 21, 2007 at 05:16 AM
I've never thought of pairing ANY of those ingredients with one another, and yet, wow, why not? it sounds amazing! I love that kind of kale... I've always called it lacinato, but my mom calls it dinosaur, too. that was a confusing, and probably funny to overhear, argument we had a the grocery store a few years ago!
Posted by: ann | March 21, 2007 at 05:28 AM
This is like Jacques Pepin's fast food--quick, delicious, and beautiful!
Posted by: Susan from Food "Blogga" | March 21, 2007 at 05:41 AM
Kale and scallops? I am so there.
Posted by: Cate O'Malley | March 21, 2007 at 06:43 AM
I love this...anything that looks and tastes so good and is this quick has to go into my recipe file!
Posted by: Kristen | March 21, 2007 at 07:08 AM
I can't believe that you've defiled an innocent scallop with a- RAISIN?!? *shudder*
The kale makes up for it, though, in scads.
Posted by: s'kat | March 21, 2007 at 08:21 AM
Oh God! That's wonderful looking. I love scallops and your photo/recipe is great! Yum!
Posted by: Glenna | March 21, 2007 at 01:52 PM
Sher,
I meant to leave a comment when I was here the other day but somehow I got sidetracked. This dish looks incredibly delicious. The way you've paired the scallops with that yummy sounding vinaigrette - well, what can I say, Wonder Woman? I'm drooling!
Posted by: Christine | March 21, 2007 at 11:23 PM
I have been on such a scallop kick lately...I am loving these.
Posted by: peabody | March 22, 2007 at 04:30 AM