Alma Bax This dish is a perfect example of how you can take a classic and make it feel new. The quinoa adds an earthy flavor that makes the scallops pop, and the pomegranate gastrique gives the dish a sweet and tart twist.
Seared scallops on black quinoa with pomegranate gastrique is a recipe that will make you the star of your next dinner party. The dish includes seared scallops, black quinoa, and a pomegranate gastrique. Read more in detail here: seared scallop recipe.
- 16 scallops, big
- 1 cup quinoa (black)
- 12 cup vegetable broth (low sodium)
- 1 fennel bulb, medium
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin extra-virgin olive oil
- 14 cup fresh chives, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnish
- freshly ground pepper and sea salt
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil or ghee, plus more as required
- pomegranate seeds, 1 cup
- a smidgeon of microgreens
Gastrique de pomegranate:
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 2 tblsp sherry vinaigrette
- 1 pomegranate juice cup
- a third of a cup of low-sodium vegetable broth
Instructions:
Toss some finely chopped feta cheese into the quinoa if you want a salty taste.
- Allow the scallops to come to room temperature before serving.
- Warm the honey and vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to mix, to create the gastrique. Add the pomegranate juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half, approximately 8 minutes. Add the veggie broth and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes to reduce by half. Allow to cool before serving.
- In a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the quinoa, cover, and cook for 16 to 18 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove the fronds off the fennel and set aside a small bunch while the quinoa cooks. If you have one, use a mandoline to core and slice the fennel bulb as thinly as possible. Chop the saved fronds coarsely. Transfer the quinoa to a mixing bowl after it has been cooked. Stir in the quinoa with the fronds, sliced fennel bulb, olive oil, and chives.
- Dry the scallops well and season them on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil and add as many scallops as will fit in the pan, allowing 1 to 2 inches between them. Cook for 4 minutes on one side, then turn and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops, until a crust forms and the scallop begins to peel away from the pan. To achieve a nice crust on the scallops, make sure they’re near to room temperature and thoroughly dry before putting them in the heated pan. Except for flipping them once, don’t touch them. There’s no need to mix them up; that’ll only make matters worse. Rep with the remaining scallops, adding a little extra coconut oil to the pan if necessary.
- Toss the quinoa mixture with the pomegranate seeds and microgreens, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, divide the quinoa salad and scallops among four dishes and pour the gastrique over each one. Serve immediately with chives as a garnish.
Related Tags
- healthy scallop recipes
- searing scallops
- side dishes for scallops
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Ben Austin 