Grilled Sea Scallops w/ Lemon Salsa Verde Over Couscous
Grilled scallops are quick, delicious and can go well with just about anything, so I keep them in the rotation especially on nice sunny days. You’re golden, as long as you don’t overcook them.
Musical Inspiration for Grilled Scallops
Scallops are simple, versatile and easy to cook but you have to get the steps right otherwise you can end up with a beautiful looking chewy rubbery mess. Preparation and technique matter, like a lot so be disciplined and pay attention to the small stuff like fully drying, chilling the scallops before cooking, etc. Teedra Moses challenges her male partner to “Get It Right.” She’s got a lot to offer, and she won’t make it hard for him, but he’s got to get the little things right.
Grilled Scallops Health Tips
I try to stay on top of my cholesterol. I’m not walking around stressed or fussing about my levels, but I am intuitively dialed in on the foods that keep cholesterol in check from both sides. Scallops are rich on the Omega 3 fatty acids sides which reduces your LDL (bad cholesterol) level while also increasing good cholesterol levels. By good, I mean those which keeps traffic flowing in your arteries preventing issues like strokes, heart attacks, and poor circulation. Scallops are also a lean source of protein and effective at regulating blood pressure.
Flavor Profile of Grilled Scallops
Scallops alone have a subtle, sweet flavor. Grilling adds some smokiness and the chilled salsa verde made with eyer lemon juice, beet greens, and herbs make the perfect condiment – the salsa enhances the flavor vs. overpowering that sweet smokey scallop flavor. The sauce calls for only a few ingredients so can be made in 1-2 minutes. Meyer lemons tend to be more on the fragrant side and less tart relative to regular lemons. Make enough and save for other recipes, as the salsa is extremely versatile.
How To Grill Scallops Cooking Tips
- Use two skewers to grill your scallops. They make it easy to flip, cook evenly, and keep them from slipping through the gaps in the grill grate
- Go big or go home. The bigger the scallop, the sweeter the taste. They’re also less likely to develop that rubbery texture
- Save the glaze til the end
- Best way to prevent sticking is to dry the scallops well and wipe grate clean with oiled paper towel. This will also help get those good looking grill marks
- Cook the scallops on one side for about 4 minutes to get great grill marks. Cook on the second side only until about 2 minutes
Grilled Scallops Meal Planning Tips
- Serve over pearl couscous to make it a meal otherwise exclude and just enjoy as an appetizer.
Dope beats, fresh eats. Enjoy these tasty grilled scallops with this fresh and vibrant salsa verde.
For other recipes for scallops try this Scallops w/ Pear Cream Sauce or Scallops with Coffee Vinaigrette.Â
Keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.Â
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
- 1/2 cup beet greens
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 12 large scallops tendons removed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to pat dry each scallop. Place them all on a baking rack sitting inside a baking sheet. Refrigerate the scallops until just before grilling.
- In a food processor combine the zest, juice, olive oil, garlic, greens, herbs, salt and pepper, then puree. Set aside.
- Heat grill to high heat. Cover the grill so the grates get very, very hot. Open the cover and use a steel brush to clean the grates. Cover again for 2 to 3 more minutes to bring the grates back to high heat level.
- Remove the scallops from the refrigerator, slide scallops on two skewers and season with salt and pepper
- Dampen a wad of paper towel with canola oil. Grab the wad with a pair of tongs, and rub the towels along the grates to oil them well.
- Turn heat down to medium high. Place the skewered scallops on one side of the grill at an angle so you will get diagonal grill marks.
- Cook skewers for 4 minutes, turn them, cook for 2 minutes more. Brush some of the glaze over the scallops. The scallops should be barely opaque in the middle. Cut one in half if you need to check.
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