What's for Dinner? Wednesday

Don't know what to make tonight? Don't worry, it's "What's for diner? Wednesday!" where we share one of our favorite healthy recipes.  We’re going back to the sea for our latest meal idea.  We know we've been pretty fishy lately (cooking poached cod and tilapia fish sticks in recent weeks) so we’ll spare you the finned guys for our favorite shellfish: scallops!  Cooking these guys always makes us feel so fancy.  Tonight’s recipe even includes a fancy sauce to serve your scallops on top of so you really may trick your guests into thinking you’re at a five-star restaurant. 

Here are your ingredients (serves four):

2 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks sliced

Sea salt

1 tsp thyme

2 cups frozen green peas

3/4 cup skim milk

1 lb sea scallops

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp minced fresh mint

1/2 tsp raw honey

Skillfully Craft your Scallops As Follows:

Step One:  Heat a skillet on medium-low and coat it with one tsp of your olive oil.  Find your leeks and add them and a pinch of salt to the skillet and stir these onion cousins until they are soft and slightly brown.  Add your thyme, peas and milk and increase the heat level to medium.  Keep the mix cooking until the peas have been heated through (will take about 5 minutes).  Remove this first mix from the stove.

Step Two:  Pour your leek/pea/milk mix into a blender and puree it until it is smooth.  Try not to eat it yet (It’s the bed for our misplaced scallops, not soup!).

Step Three:  Heat another large skillet on medium-high and coat it with another tsp of olive oil. Now it’s the scallops' turn!  Add them to the skillet allowing for a little space between each one for proper cooking.  How long to cook? Good question! Three minutes per side will brown your scallops perfectly.  Take these former ocean dwellers off the skillet when you’re done and set them aside.

Step Four:  Find a small bowl to make your vinaigrette.  Add everything you have left (from your ingredients list, that is): 4 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, 1 tsp of water, mint, honey, and a little pinch of salt for good luck. 

Step Five: Prepare to amaze!  Spoon ½ a cup of the pea puree onto each plate and elegantly place four scallops on top.  Lightly drizzle about 2 tsp of your vinaigrette over your scallops and serve your guests. 

Are you making this meal tonight or in the future? Share your thoughts with us in the space below: