Welcome to my Date Night meal series! I am so happy to have you here. My goal is to teach you some cooking techniques that you can master, along with simple meals that you can whip up for a quick date night meal with your partner or friends or even yourself. Come on, having a relationship with yourself is so important. Let’s not forget one of the pillars of health is relationships. Building deep, meaningful connections with other people is so important to our health. Food naturally brings people together, so what better way to connect then around an amazing meal.
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Pan Seared Scallops with Cheddar Grits
Enjoy this simple, yet delicious meal. Pefect for anytime of the year and comes together quick and easy.
Ingredients
- For the Scallops:
- 2 pounds sea scallops, 1 bag Aldi scallops
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt and pepper
- 1 bunch scallions, sliced
- pea shoots, micro greens (arugula) or asparagus
- For the Cheese Grits:
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
- 2 garlic clove, grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white Vermont cheddar cheese, shredded
- freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
Cheese Grits
In a medium saucepan, heat pan and place a tablespoon of butter in pan and saute the garlic. Then add the water, milk, and salt, and bring to a boil. Add the cornmeal and mix to incorporate. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring regularly until creamy and almost all the liquid as been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the cheese.
Scallops
It is best to defrost your scallops on a paper towel lined plate in the fridge versus defrosting under water. You don’t want to add more moisture to the scallops. The more dried out they are the better sear you will get. Once they have defrosted, pat dry with paper towels. Don’t forget to take off the little side muscle, and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add the oil then gently place the scallops in pan and sear for about 90 seconds until you see a nice brown crust form. Gently flip the scallops and cook about 90 seconds more. Finish at the end with a tablespoon or two of butter if desired.
Remove from the heat.
To serve, spoon a generous amount of cheese grits in desired serving bowls. Top with the seared scallops, garnish with chopped scallions, pea shoots, microgreens, or asparagus.
Enjoy!
Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well
Happy Cooking, Courtney
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