I’ve never cooked scallops before, but my sister Devon was telling me about a recipe she came up with the other day where she seared some scallops in brown butter and vanilla, so I really wanted to try it! They came out great! The sweet scallops were nice with the bitterness of the grapefruit and Swiss chard. Overall a successful first scallop attempt- so thanks Dev! If you’re not a fan of bitter greens, bok choy or spinach would be a nice alternative.

Ingredients:
4 jumbo scallops
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
Thin slice of fresh ginger, minced
1 small bunch of Swiss chard, washed and lightly chopped
1 small grapefruit, segmented and cut into smaller chunks
1 tablespoon grapefruit juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Start by removing and discarding any muscle tabs still attached to the scallops (if they have any) then pat dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Add the butter and vanilla to a medium frying pan over high heat. Once the liquid is hot (but not smoking) add the scallops. Sear them for about 2-3 minutes on one, then flip over and sear on the other side for another 2-3 minutes. You want them to get nicely caramelized on each side but without overcooking. Place on a plate and cover with some foil to keep warm while you quickly cook the greens.

In another medium frying pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the shallot for a few minutes. Add the Swiss chard and cook down for a few minutes until wilted. Next add the grapefruit juice and chunks, followed by a little pepper. Plate some of the Swiss chard and grapefruit, and top with the seared scallops and any juice leftover from the scallop pan. Enjoy!