Nom-Nom-Nom

If you don't know it by now, I love to cook. I do get hooked on favorite recipes, but I also like to try new ones. The last couple of years I've focused on learning how to cook red meat-- since I married a Brit and all and they love their meat. But seeing as I was raised a vegetarian (for all intents and purposes-- although we ate fish and sometimes turkey), other meats were sort of a mystery. And while I cook all sorts of fish, shellfish was one area that I tended to avoid. It was the special treat meal that you'd order in restaurants and pay through the nose for. But, like all food, someone has to prepare it-- so why not me? So I started tackling shellfish... prawns, clams, mussels... but one thing remained at arms reach-- my favorite ever: scallops.

I don't know why I found them to be intimidating, but maybe it was because I LOVE them, and didn't want one bad experience at home to turn me off to them forever. But thanks to my wonderful brother- and sister-in-law, I gained the courage to try them at home. And they are delectable. Forget spending $20 at a restaurant-- you can make this at home for $5-- for two people! This is Gordon Ramsay's recipe (via my bro- and sis-in-law who made this for us at a dinner party). I've made it several times, experimenting with the quantities of the ingredients (and adding the salt when pan searing the scallops) to get the balance right (MRN doesn't like tomatoes so I use less; I like more spice, so more chiles)-- and I think I've finally hit pay dirt. This is pure yumminess and perfect for a summer evening (not to mention a very easy recipe that is guaranteed to impress your guests).

Pan Seared Scallops with Spicy Corn Salsa

Ingredients:

• Fresh, large scallops (3-4 per person)
• (1) 14-oz can of sweet corn
• 1/2 packet of grape tomatoes (approx 100 g/3.5 oz), diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 3 small green or red chiles, finely minced
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• dash of soy sauce
• juice from one lime
• curry powder
• fleur de sel (or kosher salt if you don't have it)
• olive oil (for cooking scallops)
• rocket leaves (optional)
• fresh coriander (or cilantro for you California peeps-- also optional), chopped

For scallops:

• Heat olive oil on high heat in saute pan (should be VERY hot so that oil is almost smoking)
• Remove muscle (if still attached) and rinse and pat dry. Slide scallops in half. Dust both sides with curry powder and sprinkle of fleur de sel (I usually dust the second side once in the pan).
• When pan is very hot, add scallops and sear for 1 min per side (watch them carefully because you may need less time depending on your stove top).
• Remove from pan and set aside

For salsa:

Combine all ingredients except scallops, curry, fleur de sel and olive oil in bowl and toss to combine.
Heat salsa is large saute pan for 2-3 minutes until warm.

To serve:

If serving with rocket, place a few leaves at the bottom of an appetizer-sized bowl or plate. Spoon salsa over rocket leaves. Place 6-8 scallops over salsa (or however many you're serving per person; if they're particularly large, and you are serving this as an app, may want to reduce to 4). Sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander (or I use parsley because I'm not a coriander fan...).