I have a small confession. After shooting this dish of seared scallops with corn salad, I was going to share it with my daughter. But then I didn’t. It was too good.
Before you judge me as a bad mother, I should say that I did make this recipe for dinner the same night. I just didn’t share the extra serving that I had prepared specifically for the shoot. There, now you can judge me.
Corn, ripe tomatoes, and fresh herbs are all at their peak right now and this recipe makes great use of them. It’s from Food and Wine magazine which I’m loving for dinner inspiration right now.
The corn gets a nice smokiness from the grill before being tossed with more veggies and dressed with a bright miso vinaigrette. Then it’s topped with some perfectly seared scallops basted in butter. Can you really blame me for not sharing. I’ve made scallops before but I think these were the best I’ve ever made. And this dish is also perfect for dinner guests – make the salad and dressing in advance then sear the scallops just before serving. Easy, elegant, make ahead – does it get any better?
Let’s open that bottle of rosé now. I’ll even share.
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PinIngredients
For the miso vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger (I use a microplane)
- 1 small mild chile pepper (such as jalapeño, aleppo, or serrano), seeded and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the corn salad
- 3 medium ears fresh yellow corn, shucked
- 4 medium scallions
- 1 tablespoon grape seed or canola oil
- 1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as basil, chives, and/or mint, roughly chopped (see Notes)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
For the scallops
- 12 large sea scallops (about 1 pound)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
For the miso vinaigrette
- Whisk together miso, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, and chile pepper in a small bowl until miso is dissolved. Whisk in olive oil until dressing is emulsified. Set aside.
For the corn salad
- Preheat a grill to high (450°F to 500°F), or heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush corn and scallions with oil, and grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until just tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for scallions and 10 minutes for corn.
- When cool enough to handle, cut corn kernels off cobs, and roughly chop scallions into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Toss together corn, scallions, edamame, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add herbs, miso vinaigrette, and sesame seeds; toss to combine.
For the scallops
- Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat grape seed oil in large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the scallops and cook until the bottoms are well browned, about 3 minutes. Flip the scallops and add butter to the skillet. Continue cooking while basting the scallops with the melted butter until cooked through, 1-2 minutes more.
For serving
- Divide salad among 4 shallow bowls. Top each serving with 3 scallops. Sprinkle with additional herbs if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, June 2019.
Dressing can be made up to 1 week in advance (stored covered in the refrigerator).
The mint adds a nice brightness to the salad but it can be overwhelming so I suggest using it sparingly.
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