Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and happy new year’s celebration. We are not big on going out for new year’s eve festivities, we would much rather spend the night at home and avoid the crowds and this year was no exception. We decided to make a bunch of appetizers to munch on throughout the night, instead of one large meal. It worked out perfectly, we were able to nibble our way through the night while researching some day-sail options for our upcoming annual pilgrimage to St. John.
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Everything was great, but these scallops that E made were definitely my favorite dish of the night. They came together in less than five minutes, and could be easily adapted to other flavors, depending on your preference. We have an obsession with all things spicy, so the wasabi drizzle was perfect, but if that’s not your thing, I think that an avocado sauce would be great as well.
Sesame-Wasabi Seared Scallops for 2
Source: A Traveling in the Kitchen original
Serves 2 as a small appetizer
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large sea scallops (with the connective “foot” removed)
2 Tablespoons wasabi powder
2 Tablespoons raw sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
For garnish:
Pickled ginger (available at the sushi counter of most grocery stores)
Micro greens or finely minced parsley or cilantro
Black sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
Add the oil to a cast iron skillet and heat on high until the oil is shimmering (about 1 minute). Season the scallops with salt and pepper to taste. Put the sesame seeds on a small plate or in a small bowl. Brush one side of each scallop with the sesame oil, and press into the sesame seeds, pressing to adhere the seeds. Place the scallops, sesame seed-side down into the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the seeds are golden brown. Flip the scallops and cook on the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes, depending on your desired doneness. Our scallops were huge, and we like them on the rare side, so we cooked them for 3 minutes total.
Transfer the scallops to your serving plate. Reconstitute the wasabi powder with enough water to make a sauce (start with 1-2 tablespoons and keep adding water until you are happy with the consistency). Drizzle the sauce over the scallops, and the plate if desired. Place 1-2 pieces of pickled ginger on the top of each scallop. Sprinkle with a few micro-greens or minced herbs, and the black sesame seeds (if using) and enjoy!
