Summer Scallops Salad
Sauteed scallops on gazpacho dressing surround cheese baskets filled with greens. The cheese baskets are formed by melting grated cheese, then carefully placing the cheese circles over inverted bowls to shape. If you can’t find scallops, this dish would also showcase fresh shrimp very well.
Ingredients
- Gazpacho Dressing
- Bell Pepper - 1, chopped
- Tomato - 1, skinned, seeded, and chopped
- Cucumber - 1, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- Garlic Clove - 1, minced
- Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Fennel bulb - 1/4, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Cheese Basket
- Regatto Cheese - 4 ounces (alt. Parmesan cheese)
- Scallops
- Scallops - 20
- Olive Oil - 1/4 cup
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Mixed salad greens - 2 cups
- Vinaigrette Salad Dressing - 2 tablespoons
- Mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley, chervil) - 1/2 cup, chopped
- Lemon Zest Oil - 1 tablespoon
Instructions
To make the dressing: Combine all ingredients except the salt and pepper in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 3 – 4 hours. When ready to serve, pulse in a blender or food processor until very fine and season with salt and pepper.
To make the baskets: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable or olive oil.Very lightly spray four small bowls or the bottoms of inverted glasses with the oil. Grate the cheese and spread half of the cheese in two circles on the baking sheet. Do not let the circles touch. Bake 2 – 3 minutes, remove, and let stand for 1 minute. Lift the cheese circles with a spatula and your fingertips and lay over the prepared bowls or glasses and set aside to cool. Repeat with the remaining cheese to make a total of four baskets.
To prepare the scallops: Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat half of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the scallops. Sear 1 – 3 minutes, until golden. Turn and sear again on the other side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining scallops.
To serve: Toss the salad greens with the vinaigrette. Arrange greens in each cheese basket and place one basket in the center of each plate. Drizzle the warm gazpacho dressing around the baskets. Place five scallops around each basket. Sprinkle with minced herbs and lemon zest oil.
