Grilled Scallop Salad With Green Tomatoes & Corn Recipe

"This is such a nice healthy salad, with a fresh taste. Warm grilled scallops; tossed with a chilled fresh salad. I love to use fresh corn, and grill it in this recipe; it adds such a great sweetness to this salad. And green tomatoes; not always available at the basic grocery stores; but, almost always available at your local Mexican market. For the seafood - scallops; but, you could always use swordfish or any thick firm white first such as Cod too. I just love the sweetness of the scallops."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Scallops ... You want about 24-28 scallops for this dish (6-7 per person); which is approximately 1 1/2-2 lbs on average. Frozen will work fine for this; but, you need to thaw them in the refrigerator in a colander, over a bowl, and covered so they do not set in any liquid as they thaw. This is very important.

Step 2

Then, set them on a paper towel to dry, and take the chill off. If not frozen, simply set on the counter on a paper towel. Once the scallops are dry, season with salt and pepper on each side. NOTE: Season RIGHT before cooking. Otherwise the salt will bring out moisture and make the scallops wet again. Wet scallops will steam and not get a nice sear.

Step 3

Vinaigrette ... Add everything to a small measuring cup or bowl; and mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 4

Corn ... As the scallops are resting on the counter; prepare your corn. I like to do this on a grill, or grill pan. However, you can also do this in the oven as well. Simply brush with olive oil and grill; or roast in the oven (oven temp 425). Grill or oven; it should take 5-7 minutes. You just want a light char on the corn; you DO NOT want it totally cooked; just a little char. Once cooled, cut the kernels off the ear and add to a bowl.

Step 5

Salad ... To the bowl with the corn - add the arugula, onions, tomatoes, scallions, and herbs; and, toss to combine. You can usually fine green tomatoes at any Mexican or ethnic market. The tartness of the green tomatoes is what really makes this salad good.

Step 6

Scallops ... These take only a few minutes. Add a little oil to a heavy cast iron pan (preferred); or any heavy skillet; and, bring to medium - medium high heat. Sear the scallops on the first side until golden brown. If you try to move them in the pan; and, they won't move ... they aren't ready to flip. Once flipped, they take just another minute to finish cooking. Transfer the scallops to a plate, while you finish everything up.

Step 7

Finish ... Let the scallops cool just a minute; then, add to the salad, along with some of the vinaigrette, and toss. The warm scallops lightly warm the salad; and, wilt the arugula. Add as much dressing as you like. I normally like to likely dress my salads.