Grilled scallops and rainbow peppers over wilted greens

July 27, 2010

I’m cooking off the ingredients I have in the refrigerator or freezer, so I had to adjust a few things on this weeks menu. We’ll see how this week goes.

Grilled Scallops and rainbow peppers over wilted greens in a fresh cilantro dressing
A Spoonful of Ginger, by Nina Simonds, pg 182

1 ½ lbs sea scallops

Ginger Marinade:
2 T rice wine or sake
2 T soy sauce
1 T minced ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 ½ inch squares
1 orange pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 ½ inch squares
1 yellow pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1 ½ inch squares

6-8 10-inch bamboo skewers or metal skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

Cilantro Dressing:
1/3 cup soy sauce
¼ cup clear rice vinegar
2 T toasted sesame oil
1 ½ T sugar
1 ½ T rice wine or sake
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 pound tender greens (spinach, chard, snow pea shoots)
2 tsp canola or corn oil
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
2 T rice wine or sake
1 tsp salt

Place the scallops in a bowl. Combine the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the scallops, tossing lightly to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

If using grill, start the briquettes for a medium hot fire while the scallops marinate.

Mix the cilantro dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Trim the greens, removing any hard stems. Heat the oil in a skilled over high heat. Add the greens and garlic and toss lightly about 20 seconds, then add the rice wine and salt, and toss lightly over high heat about 1 minute or less, until the greens are slightly wilted but still bright green. Spoon the greens onto plates in a mound, so the scallops can be served on top.

Alternately skewer the peppers and scallops onto the bamboo skewers, starting and ending with peppers. Brush the scallops and peppers with the marinade.

Grill the skewers 3-4 inches from the heat source for 3-4 minutes on each side (skewers can be broiled), brushing with marinade.

Remove the scallops and peppers from the skewers. Arrange the scallops and peppers over the greens with dressing on top or on the side. Serve warm.

How I did it: I used spinach for the greens but I didn’t have enough. I didn’t have sake, so I used Mirin (rice cooking wine). I didn’t have fresh ginger, so I used 1 T ginger paste from the Indian market and added an extra 1 tsp ground ginger.

I used frozen scallops from Trader Joe’s, and olive oil instead of the corn or canola oil. It doesn’t get as hot, but I like it better.

This was really good. It would also be good without the cilantro dressing and served over long grain white rice.