Seared Scallops are Incredibly Easy!

Because of some delicious scallops I ate in recent weeks at The Marc and Botero (Las Vegas) and because of a sale on scallops at Costco, I wanted to try to make my own at home. Little did I know how easy they were to prepare! I followed the advice of Alton Brown from the Food Network. The prep time was minimal and the cooking time was next to nothing! They also tasted fantastic! Here I thought that you had to have some superstar chef skills to prepare seared scallops properly.

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Seared Scallops
Adapted from Alton Brown at The Food Network
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
8 large scallops (I used Olivia brand scallops from Costco - they were huge: size U10!)
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Defrost scallops in the fridge overnight or in a resealable bag under cold water. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

2. Salt and pepper the scallops.

3. Heat a saute pan over high heat, and add oil and butter. When the fat is smoking hot, add the scallops. Sear the scallops for 1 minute and 45 seconds on each side. Adjust cooking time according to scallop size. They are ready when they have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while being translucent in the middle.

4. Remove from heat immediately. They will still continue to cook. Serve immediately.
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In order to complete the meal, I decided to serve the scallops over a bed of cheesy polenta with a side of Greek salad.

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Cheesy Polenta
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Add milk, water, and some salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce heat to low, and gradually whisk in cornmeal. Cover and cook approximately 10 minutes or until cornmeal is soft and creamy, while stirring every few minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add salt, pepper, and butter. Stir. Gradually stir in cheese and serve.
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The salad was prepared without a recipe, but I used a combination of an English cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, bell pepper, crumbled feta cheese, and kalamata olives. The dressing was based on another recipe from allrecipes.com
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Greek Salad Dressing
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large jar with a lid (or in a deep bowl), combine all ingredients prior to the vinegar. Pour in the vinegar and mix vigorously (or whisk vigorously if using a bowl). The dressing can be stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for up to a week.
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