Seared Scallops with Asian Style Roasted Vegetables

Are you afraid to cook scallops, intimidated by the process to achieve the perfect sear? Don’t fret, friends, we’ve got you covered with a step by step process to accompany these incredibly flavorful Asian Style Roasted Vegetables.

At Sizzlefish, our dry-packed scallops are shucked and then frozen “unprocessed” (meaning not soaked in water or a preservative solution) right after being harvested in the Georges Bank area between Cape Cod and Cape Sable. This ensures that you get only pure, natural, wild scallops from us! Not only that, but our scallops are large (10-20 count per pound), packed 4 scallops per package, so that each serving package is 4 plus ounces. That’s a perfect portion in each package! Even better (we know, how can it get better?), our wild sea scallops are a low-calorie source of protein that provides a surprisingly high amount of omega-3’s along with important vitamins and minerals like B12, selenium, and zinc! Delicious and healthy, these scallops are such a perfect protein choice.

Let’s talk about how to get that incredible sear on these beautiful scallops. First, you want to make sure your scallops are dry. This is a perfect example of why you want dry-packed scallops. When you sear a dry-packed scallop, you won’t have extra liquids leaching out as they cook. You will need to defrost your scallops in the refrigerator. When they are completely defrosted and you are ready to get cooking, lay your scallops out on a paper towel. Place another paper towel on top of the scallops and lightly press to dry. Now you want to heat your pan, either cast iron or a nonstick skillet works well. Get your pan hot, then add your butter, oil or a mixture. Now, don’t overcrowd the pan! Place the scallops in your pan (working in batches if you need to), season with salt and pepper, then don’t touch them. It will take about 2 minutes to cook on the 1st side, then see if you’ve achieved that golden brown sear. If your scallops come free from the pan with a golden crisp crust, then flip them and sear on the second side. Again, you want to wait a couple of minutes watching to see when you get that beautiful brown sear. Remove from the pan (wipe it clean if you are going to sear another round) and enjoy!

We paired our scallops with a delicious slightly sweet and spicy Asian roasted vegetable mixture. The slightly sweet caramelized scallops pair incredibly well with this vegetable mixture. Also, can we talk about the texture combination here? The crispy exterior of these scallops with the supple interior of the scallops work beautifully with the crisp-tender bok choy and carrot mixture. This is the perfect dish to wow your guests!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 ½ - 2 lbs Bok Choy; roughly chopped
• 1 lb Carrots; sliced about ¼ inch on a diagonal
• 3 oz Sweet Baby Red and Yellow Peppers; sliced
• 3 Scallions; thinly sliced and separated
• 2 TBSP Freshly Grated Ginger
• 3 TBSP Coconut Aminos
• 1 TBSP Sesame Oil
• 1-2 tsp Chili Paste; add more if you like heat
• 16 oz Sizzlefish Scallops
• 1-2 TBSP Olive Oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Oil a heavy ovenproof skillet or large 15 inches cast iron skillet with sesame oil.
2. Place the bok choy, carrots, peppers, about two-thirds of the sliced scallions in the oiled skillet.
3. In a small bowl, combine the grated ginger, coconut aminos, sesame oil and chili paste. Stir well to combine.
4. Pour the ginger mixture on top of the vegetables. Mix well.
5. Roast the vegetable for 30 minutes, stir and roast for an additional 20- 30 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender, slightly browned and the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife.
6. When the vegetables are about 20 minutes from being done, prepare the scallops.
7. Using a paper towel, pat the scallops dry. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.
8. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan and allow it to heat up. When the oil is hot, place the scallops in the pan. Cook about 2 minutes or until browned. Make sure you don’t move until they are browned on the first side.
9. Once browned, flip the scallops. If they stick to the pan, just wait a few more seconds then try again, gently wiggling them side to side to help release them. Allow the scallops to cook for 3 minutes.
10. Serve over warm roasted vegetables and garnish with remaining sliced scallions.