Bobby Flay's Grill It! - Bobby Flay [65]
Grilled Sea Scallops on Tortilla Chips with Avocado Puree and Jalapeño Pesto
This is such a great recipe to serve at your next outdoor cocktail party. It goes perfectly with margaritas, beer, or a crisp white wine and is so easy to prepare that you can make it in less than thirty minutes. If scallops aren’t available or aren’t your thing, shrimp is a perfect substitute.
Serves 4
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus extra whole leaves for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 blue corn tortilla chips
10 yellow corn tortilla chips
Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops
Jalapeño Pesto (recipe follows)
Combine the avocados, onion, lime juice, oil, chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape into a bowl.
Spread about a tablespoon of avocado puree over each chip. Top the puree with a scallop and top each scallop with some of the jalapeño pesto. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Jalapeño Pesto
Makes about ¾ cup
1½ cups packed fresh cilantro leaves
6 jalapeño chiles, grilled, peeled, and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, pine nuts, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until smooth and emulsified. Scrape into a bowl. The pesto can be made 2 days in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Grilled Sea Scallops with Green Onion Relish and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
I never really understood that classic dish of scallops wrapped in bacon; it seems to me that neither can be cooked properly together. Because scallops take only a few minutes to cook, it always seems that the bacon, which takes longer to cook, is normally underdone. This recipe is my solution. Crispy bacon relish tops perfectly grilled scallops and that wonderful bacon fat left behind after the bacon is cooked makes a slightly salty, slightly sweet dressing.
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces bacon, cut into small dice
2 green onions, white and green parts, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 shallots, finely diced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Perfectly Grilled Sea Scallops
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Transfer the bacon to a small bowl, stir in the green onions, and set aside. (Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.)
Increase the heat under the pan to high, add the shallots, and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar, bring to a boil, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, stir in the mustard and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the scallops to a platter, drizzle with the warm bacon vinaigrette, and top each scallop with some of the green onion relish.
Grilled Sea Scallops with Fresh Corn–Basil Sauce and Grilled Tomato Relish
This dish is a celebration of summer if I’ve ever seen one. The combination of basil, corn, and tomatoes is just so good atop sea scallops—it’s all of summer’s best elements in one dish bursting with color, flavor, and texture. For the rich, creamy base, sweet pureed corn has so much natural creaminess that a mere quarter cup of cream is all you need to make the sauce totally decadent. Top that with succulent scallops and fresh relish to make each bite a delightful study in contrasts, yet total taste harmony.
Serves 4
Grilled Tomato Relish
6 ripe plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and