We are lucky to have lots of fresh seafood at our fingertips here in the Pacific Northwest.
But when it comes to eating shellfish, do you cook it at home, or do you only get it when you're out to eat?
Author Cynthia Nims is out with a new book called "Shellfish," giving tips on how to easily cook delicious seafood at home. She joined the show to share a recipe for scallops with citrus and radishes.
Bay Scallop Salad with Citrus and Radishes
In this salad, citrus segments are tossed with crisp, peppery radishes and topped with warm scallops and a simple dressing that’s assembled right in the skillet. I like the brisk flavor of the lime segments contrasting with the sweeter fruits and scallops, but if that sounds too tart to you, feel free to use a bit more orange or grapefruit, or simply leave the lime out. This is an ideal lunchtime option, served with sliced baguette, or a first course for a dinner party. Serving two at dinner, consider adding a light pasta or roasted cauliflower alongside.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
- 12 ounces bay scallops or small sea scallops
- 1 small grapefruit
- 1 small navel orange
- 1 small lime
- 1 cup thinly sliced radishes (about half a large bunch)
- 1 tablespoon mild olive oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more mild olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, or ½ cup coarsely chopped arugula, for serving
1. Remove and discard the tough little side muscle if it’s present on any of the scallops. Drain the scallops on paper towels, with a piece of paper towel pressed on top if they’re particularly wet; set aside.
2. Cut the segments from the grapefruit, orange, and lime (see sidebar), collecting them together in a medium bowl. Strain the juice from the segments and set aside, and return the segments to the same bowl. If any segments are quite large, you can break them in half. Add the radishes to the citrus segments and toss gently to mix. Arrange the salad on individual plates, leaving excess juice behind in the bowl so the salads aren’t too wet. Spread the salad out a bit as a bed for the scallops.
3. Heat the mild olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallops and cook, stirring occasionally, until evenly opaque on the surface and just a touch of translucence remains at the center, 3 to 5 minutes. Take the skillet from the heat and use a slotted spoon to scoop the scallops onto the citrus salad on the plates.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved citrus juice, the extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and a couple of grindings of black pepper to the skillet. Warm over medium-low heat and stir to evenly blend and incorporate the flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, 1 to 2 minutes; the dressing will reduce a bit too. Drizzle this over the scallops and citrus, scatter the chives over, and serve right away.
©2022 by Cynthia Nims. Excerpted from "Shellfish" by permission of Sasquatch Books.
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 AM weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.