Scallops with Tomato, Cucumber & Pickled Okra

Posted On April 12, 2019

If you are looking for a light dinner on a warm summer night, I highly recommend Scallops. They are easy to make and you can serve them with a salad, over rice or for this recipe, parsley mashed potatoes. And the tomato, cucumber and pickled okra relish gives the cooked Scallops a little pop in flavor. Make a little extra and serve as a snack with some tortilla chips. My husband did exactly that and loved it!

Total prep/cooking time: 50 minutes; serves 4

Ingredients:

Scallops

• 20 medium to large scallops (5 scallops for each person if serving 4)
• 1 tbsp. butter, salted
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• salt & pepper
• 1 garlic glove, thinly sliced

Relish

• 1/2 cup multi colored grape tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup English cucumber, peeled, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup pickled okra, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp. basil olive oil (substitute with extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tbsp. fig balsamic vinegar (substitute with balsamic vinegar)
• salt & pepper to taste

If you have frozen scallops for this dish, make sure you defrost the scallops per the instructions. Since I am using frozen scallops, I will start to defrost them since that can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes.

Let’s get started with the relish. In a small bowl combine the tomatoes, English cucumber and the pickled okra. Add the olive oil and the fig balsamic vinegar, stir and place in refrigerator.

If you are serving rice, a salad or any other side dish, please start preparing at this time.

With the scallops defrosted, dry them carefully with paper towels and place them on some dry paper towels on your kitchen counter.

In a small bowl mix the flour and the smoked paprika. Sprinkle all scallops lightly and on both sides with flour mixture. Continue to salt and pepper both sides.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Make sure the oil and butter are hot, otherwise the scallops will not get that golden brown sear. Add the garlic and scallops but do not overcrowd the pan. (Use two skillets if you are making this dish for more than 2 servings). Cook the scallops on each side for 2-3 minutes.

Take the relish out of the refrigerator, add the dill, parsley and stir.

Remove the scallops from the stove. Scoop some mashed potatoes on a plate, place 5 scallops on top and garnish with the relish. I recommend a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. Bon Appetit!