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Remove the tomatoes from the grill and coarsely chop them. Transfer to a bowl, immediately add the onion, garlic, olives, jalapeños, capers, oregano, thyme, and olive oil, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Let the salsa sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving. Stir in the pumpkin seeds just before serving.

Place the salmon on plates and spoon the salsa over the fish. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

scallops

Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops

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Coriander-Spiced Sea Scallops with Green Pea–Cilantro Sauce

I love to serve scallops at the restaurants and at home. Sweet, mild, plump, and tender, fresh scallops are such crowd pleasers, even for people who might think that they don’t like seafood. They’re also quite easy to prepare, especially on the grill. Just be sure to keep their cooking time brief to ensure that they stay juicy, not tough.

There are a few kinds of scallops out there, but what you will see in your market will be labeled as either bay or sea scallops. While I love bay (or Nantucket) scallops, their diminutive size makes them unsuitable for the grill. The larger sea scallops are usually about an inch to an inch and a half across, though you certainly may come across much bigger ones. You may also see scallops labeled “diver scallops” both in your market and on restaurant menus. This refers to the way in which the scallops were harvested. They are hand picked by divers, as opposed to the conventional collecting method of chain dredging. Scallops collected this way will be less gritty, because the sea floor isn’t disturbed as it is with the chain sweeping, and they have the additional benefit of being ecologically friendly. But keep in mind that this is a labor-intensive process with a fairly small yield and as a result, diver scallops are very expensive.

Almost all scallops are shucked on the boat and you will very rarely see them in the shell. They are easy to shuck yourself if you find them, but I don’t think that it’s necessary. Do beware of shucked scallops that are overly shiny and white. These “wet” scallops have probably been treated with an additive to act as a preservative and to help the scallops retain water so they will weigh more for sale. Untreated or “dry” scallops will be cream-colored to slightly pinkish or beige and will have a slight, appealing sheen, not a shiny gloss. As with any seafood, don’t be afraid to ask to smell what you are buying. They should smell slightly sweet and mildly of the sea. Also remember to remove the small, tough muscle found on one side of each scallop before grilling. If you don’t peel off this piece from the scallop, you’ll have an extremely tough and chewy piece attached to your tender scallop after cooking.

Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops

I love the fresh briny and sweet taste of scallops, especially when they are grilled. The direct heat of the grill caramelizes the outside of the scallop, making it even sweeter. Even though scallops have a very meaty texture, they can be extremely fragile on the grill, so be sure to oil them well before putting them on the grates of the grill and make sure the grill is extremely hot. This will help ensure that the scallops won’t stick or tear.

Serves 4

1 pound sea scallops (about 20), muscle removed

¼ cup olive or canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat your grill to high.

Brush the scallops on both sides with the oil, making sure that they are well coated, and season with salt and pepper. Place the scallops on the grill and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes longer until just