Monday, March 24, 2008

Seared Jumbo Scallops with Cauliflower Puree & Grilled Asparagus


I unexpectedly had a long weekend and Brian was out of town...and so I finally cooked something new!

Summer definitely feels here in Arizona - today was in the mid-80's and I spent a few hours at the pool. All those things combined inspired this recipe. It's filled with delicious, light summer flavors, and each serving has about 300 calories - perfect for pool (bikini) weather. And, finally, it was delicious.

Seared Jumbo Scallops with Cauliflower Puree & Grilled Asparagus
(serves 2)

1 lb jumbo sea scallops (about 10)
1 small head cauliflower
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch asparagus
2-4 tbs snipped fresh chives
1/2 c Greek yogurt
1/2 tbs butter
Olive oil spray (or you can brush/drizzle)
Salt and pepper to taste
Seasoning salt

Directions:
Bring a large stockpot of water to boil. Add chopped cauliflower and whole cloves garlic. Simmer until cauliflower is fork-tender. Drain and remove from heat, mash with a fork until cauliflower and garlic are completely pureed. Add chives and Greek yogurt, stir to incorporate.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium heat. Spray or drizzle asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill until just done and still crisp.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat butter until foam subsides. Season scallops on both sides with seasoning salt. Place scallops in pan and do not move until they can be moved freely (not sticking at all). Turn over and remove from heat. The heat of the pan will continue to cook until perfect.

To serve, mound approx 1 c cauliflower puree in the center of the plate. Top with asparagus spears, then scallops. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.

23 comments:

Kalyn Denny said...

Wow, this sounds fantastic. I love every ingredient.

Peabody said...

It looks delish.
Yeah, it is suppose to snow tonight here. :) Enjoy your pool weather.

Mo said...

Good to see you back cooking again Kirsten.

I've never done the cauliflower puree thing, but it sounds good. I may have to give this one a try this week. I have scallops in the plan for Wed. :)

Anonymous said...

Wow thanks for this! I am always scared to cook scallops but I have bookmarked this and will take on the challenge this weekend and see what happens!

Great site and beautiful healthy recipes...I just added you to my blogroll!!

Nice to meetcha :D

test it comm said...

That looks nice and light and fresh.

Terry at Blue Kitchen said...

You're back! And with amazing food to boot. Everything sounds wonderful--looks it too. A key to cooking scallops, by the way, is to be sure you don't overcook them. Just a minute or two on each side. They can go rubbery on you otherwise.

Mo said...

Kirsten,
Just reporting back that I made this exact meal last night. It was delicious. Scott even mentioned before breakfast this morning how good it was. I loved the cauliflower puree, probably even more so than mashed potatoes!

brandin + kari said...

I just did a similar post on my blog. Scallops and roasted cauliflower. It is an interesting combination, but I think they work well together:)

Anonymous said...

Hi Kirsten-

I have included this recipe in my “Whole Foods Friday” post as one of my “favorite whole foods recipes for the week”. This will be a weekly feature at my website as I try to connect my readers with healthy recipe sites and ideas.

If you would prefer not to participate please let me know right away so I can take down your link. Otherwise feel free to send any of your favorite “foodie” friends my way so I can subscribe and review their recipe. Everyone is invited to add links to their latest and greatest healthy recipes!

Thanks so much for doing what you do!

~Dr. Nicole

Shelley said...

I love scallops and can't wait to try this. I am always overcooking my scallops so hopefully I get it right this time.

Kelly-Jane said...

That looks so good, and those scallops sure are jumbo!

melly~ said...

new reader here. love your blog. can't wait to see what you cook up next!

Kirsten said...

Thanks everyone for your comments!!!

Mo - so flattered you made the exact dish, and glad it turned out. :)

Anonymous said...

i'd love to make this if I still ate shellfish! this looks so good! :)

Anonymous said...

I made this and substituted some light sour cream for the yogurt and it was delicious!

eatinqueens said...

Wow, this sounds fantastic.

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Samantha said...

Wow this looks absolutely good and probably taste delicious. I can’t wait to try this at home.

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My aunt loves to cook things like this 'cause when she was young she studied cookig or something so she always spend her free time cooking.

Anonymous said...

I have made this several times and it is absolutely delicious.

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