Scallop Piccata with Sautéed Spinach

Tim and I had this tonight and it was great! It would be good with chicken too! I used angel hair pasta. Will definitely try it again!

Serve on a bed of angel hair pasta, linguine, or brown rice, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup spinach, 3 scallops, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops (about 12)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 cup vermouth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons capers
1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

Preparation
1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground pepper over scallops. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add scallops; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned and done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped garlic to pan; cook 10 seconds. Add vermouth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Add parsley, fresh lemon juice, butter, and capers, stirring until butter melts. Pour sauce in a bowl.
3. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add spinach; sauté 30 seconds or until spinach almost wilts. Drizzle sauce over scallops; serve with spinach.

Ivy Manning, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2009

Curried Salmon Cakes

I love Salmon, but it is not Tim's favorite... I have been thinking of creative ways to make it, so during a boring meeting at work the other day, Elizabeth and I found this recipe! It was really good and Tim liked it a lot, Alex even liked it! I did change some things though. I used two pieces of fresh salmon and put that in the food processor. I also put the apple in the food processor. I increased the bread crumbs to 3/4 - 1 cup (I think you have to eyeball this to get the mixture to the right consistency). I also just baked them on 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large eggs
2 pouches (about 7 oz. each) boned, skinned pink salmon, or 1 can (about 15 oz.) red or pink salmon, drained, skin removed
1/2 cup finely chopped apple
1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Beat eggs with a fork. Add salmon and break up. Stir in apple, bread crumbs, onions, mayonnaise, curry powder, paprika, and pepper. Shape into four cakes (3/4 in. thick); place on a piece of plastic wrap.
2. Set a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil, then salmon cakes. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Erin Winemiller, Portland, Oregon, Sunset, MARCH 2005

Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomatoes and Pesto

We made this last night for one of our lenten dinners. It was really quick and easy and very flavorful! For a side we made the Orzo with Spinach and Feta!

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
2 cups grape tomatoes
3 tablespoons commercial pesto
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Preparation

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Add rind and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; bring to a simmer. Add tomatoes; cook 45 seconds, tossing to coat.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons pesto on each of 4 plates. Arrange one-quarter of scallops and about 1/2 cup tomato mixture on each plate. Sprinkle with basil.

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2004

Scallops Provencal

Krista just recently made these and said that they were very tasty and it was very quick and easy! Can't wait to try them!

Cook Time 10 minutes

Yield 3 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

Directions

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved - from http://www.foodnetwork.com/

Seared Sea Scallops with Satsuma, Parsley, and Shallot Salsa

Another great looking recipe from Holly!

Cook the scallops in two batches if needed to prevent crowding the pan.

Yield 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup minced shallots (about 2 shallots)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated satsuma orange rind
3 tablespoons fresh satsuma orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 satsuma oranges, peeled and sectioned
Cooking spray
18 large sea scallops (about 1 3/4 pounds)
2 cups trimmed watercress (about 1 bunch)
Satsuma orange wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir well with a whisk. Add the satsuma orange sections. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn scallops over. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes or until done.
3. Place 1/3 cup watercress on each of 6 plates. Arrange 3 scallops on each serving; top each serving with 2 tablespoons salsa. Garnish with orange wedges, if desired.

Joanne Weir, Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2008

MexiCali Crab Cakes

Elizabeth and I made these last night! It makes 10 good size crab cakes - very tasty! Next time I will probably increase the amount of red pepper and jalapeno. Good option for lent and really healthy too :)

Yield

5 servings (serving size: 2 crab cakes and 1/4 cup sauce)

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons stick margarine
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
1 (8 3/4-ounce) can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, drained
1 cup finely crushed cornflakes
Cooking spray
1 1/4 cups cocktail sauce or medium-hot salsa
Cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Melt margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add celery, bell pepper, and jalapeño; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Cool.

Combine mayonnaise and the next 5 ingredients (mayonnaise through egg) in a large bowl. Add celery mixture, breadcrumbs, green onions, crabmeat, and corn, and stir well. Divide crabmeat mixture into 10 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Dredge patties in cornflakes.

Place patties on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes; turn patties over, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden. Serve crab cakes with cocktail sauce, and garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:308 (30% from fat)
Fat:10.2g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.2g,poly 3.6g)
Protein:23.2g
Carbohydrate:30.9g
Fiber:1.1g
Cholesterol:139mg
Iron:2.3mg
Sodium:1634mg
Calcium:126mg

Cooking Light, AUGUST 1997