Hello Friends! I hope you all are having a lovely week and excited about entering into August! The long summer nights really make me want to embrace the luxury of fresh seafood, light bites, al fresco dining and a warm romantic ambiance. There is just something about putting a little extra love in the way you prepare and present your food that creates that extra special feeling when you eat it. Whether you make this for your honey or yourself, take the time to make it with love. Take your shoes off, crank up your favorite music, open all the doors and windows, pour yourself a special drink and really put your heart and full presence into creating it. It will make a difference in the way it tastes. Trust me. They don't call it soul food for nothing. Buon appetite my beautiful friends!
Citrus Scallop Summer Salad (Serves 1 large plate or 2 small)
Ingredients:
· 2 cups arugula
· 2 TBSP shaved red onion
· ¼ steamed beets, sliced in thin half moons
· ½ pink grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
· 2 TBSP goat chevre, crumbled
· 1 TBSP Sunflower seeds or pine nuts
· Lemon, cut in two halves
· 2 TBSP Olive Oil, divided
· Balsamic Glaze, to taste
· 2 TBSP fresh basil, chiffonaded
· 1/4 avocado, thinly sliced
· 4 oz scallops
· Himalayan Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions:
1) Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper.
2) Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high. Once hot, add 1 TBSP of olive oil and reduce heat to medium. Add scallops and cook 2 minutes on first side, flip and cook another 1-2 minutes, add a squeeze of lemon from one lemon half. Cook until a nice golden crust appears on both sides and middle is done.
3) Assemble first six salad ingredients listed, in order listed, arranged nicely on your plate.
4) Drizzle with 1 TBSP of the olive oil and squeeze one lemon juice from one half of the lemon over salad. Drizzle lightly with a touch of balsamic glaze and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
5) Sprinkle chiffonaded basil gently over salad
6) Add thinly sliced avocado to the top middle of your dish
7) Add sizzling scallops in a wide circle around the avocado
8) Light a candle, pour a glass of wine and enjoy this delightful summer salad!
*Notes:
-Mixed greens, mizuna, or mache all work great
-You can use oranges in place of pink grapefruit
-Feel free to use avocado or coconut oil for cooking scallops
-To make dairy free, substitute with a nut-based cheese like Treeline or use avocado