I got a new Paula Deen Cookbook yesterday.  It was on a whim, I saw it wanted it, bought it. Normally I don't just jump like that - first I have to read the cover, look through the pages...I might put it in my cart, walk around and decide, 'Oh, I don't need that', then I put it back on the shelf.  I mean who really 'needs' a new cookbook when you have the internet?  Not this time, I left it in my cart.  Paula has been on my mind for days. I have been dreaming of her Lemon Blossoms, I have wanted to make them for over a week, but circumstances have prevented it.  When I saw her cookbook, I started dreaming of all that butter, butter and more butter.   Well to my shock and awe, I found this recipe...can you believe it, NO BUTTER at all

This recipe was very good with just he right kick and it was quite easy to make, even though I have a hard time searing scallops.  I don't know why, but they never turn out 'just right’...I will keep trying. (I thought they were dry enough...)  Also, I could not find sea scallops, so I used small bay scallops.


Seared Scallops with Pineapple-Cucumber Salsa
Adapted from The Deen Family Cookbook

Salsa 
1 cup diced peeled cucumber
1 can diced pineapple
3 TBL chopped cilantro (plus a little extra for garnish)
1 TBL diced red onion 
2 ½ tsp lemon zest
1 large jalapeno diced

Scallops
2 pounds sea scallops
Salt and pepper
2 ½ TBL olive oil

1.        Mix all salsa ingredients together and set aside.
2.        Rinse scallops and pat them very dry, then season them with salt and pepper
3.        Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear the scallops, without moving them in the pan until golden – 2-3 minutes on each side.
4.        Put Salsa on a plate, put scallops on top of salsa, sprinkle with fresh cilantro

Paula says to add 1/4 tsp hot sauce to the salsa, but quite honestly, I forgot. It was not missed.

 


Comments

Lara

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:20:57

I've had this problem, too, so did some reading on it. Most commercially sold scallops are treated with a chemical called sodium tri polyphosphate that causes them to retain water (and make them weigh more, so they can charge more). It makes them VERY difficult to properly sear and get a nice, browned crust. You can lay them on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet, top them with more paper towels and then another cookie sheet and then weight it down with a brick (or Ina Garten cookbook) to press some of the moisture out, but it's still pretty tough to get a good sear on "wet" scallops, if that's what yours were, because the moisture inevitably seeps out of them as they cook. A couple of options: buy untreated, "dry" scallops, if you can find them, or use a grill basket to grill the scallops, instead, so that the moisture will drip out, instead of staying in the pan. You could also use a grill pan, since the little grill marks will hold the body of the scallop up and out of the pooling moisture. Of course, if it turns out that your scallops WERE dry ones, I don't have much to help you with, except to suggest higher heat, a fairly dry pan (not a lot of oil) and don't move them as they're cooking. Science lesson over for today...

 

Lara

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:23:33

Oh, and by the way, this looks AMAZING! I can't believe a Paula Deen recipe that doesn't have butter! I meant to say Paula Dean cookbook before...

By the way, have you seen this:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2007/04/paula-deen-is-trying-to-kill-u.html

Seriously, "Deep-fried Butter Balls"??? The woman is insane.

 

kathie

Fri, 01 May 2009 06:23:35

I would love to try that!

 

Hubby

Thu, 07 May 2009 15:59:18

It was goooood!

 

Trish

Sun, 10 May 2009 00:34:21

Thanks for the great tips Lara!!

Thanks Hubby!

 



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