Citrus Scallops over Quinoa Risotto with Fennel

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I’ve long been a fan of making dinner at home on Valentine’s Day instead of going out to a restaurant because there’s something so special about cooking for someone important to you. While my Valentine’s Day menus often include decadent favorites like lobster, steak, and truffles, this year I wanted to put together a healthier menu that would still feel decadent.

Scallops are a perfect healthy luxury ingredient. Per ounce they have just 31 calories and less than a gram of fat. They are also a great source of B12, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and copper. They are naturally rich and just a little sweet, so you don’t need a lot of them to fill you up. Because they cook best over high heat in a dry pan, you don’t even have to add oil during the cooking process.

I love risotto – in really crazy ways do I love it – but it’s not particularly healthy. Besides the fact that risotto rice isn’t a whole grain, most risotto preparations involve quite a bit of oil, butter, and cheese. As an alternative, I’ve put together a quinoa risotto that uses a little bit of mascarpone to emulate the creaminess of a traditional risotto. Quinoa is an ancient grain originally cultivated by the Incas. it sports the highest protein content of any grain and is a complete protein source. It’s also gluten-free and high in fiber, making it a healthy alternative to rice and couscous.

Because the scallops are so rich, the nutty and slightly crisp quinoa helps balance out this dish. The fennel is a strong enough flavor to hold its own with the scallops and quinoa, and the citrus in the scallops brightens the entire flavor profile. I served asparagus as a side, but really, and lightly roasted vegetable will do. And of course, save room for a little dark chocolate for dessert.

Recipe: Citrus Scallops over Quinoa Risotto with Fennel

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Serves: 2
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Weight Watchers™ Points: 12

Ingredients

For the quinoa

• 1/3 c. red quinoa
• 2/3 c. water (or more as according to package directions
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. butter
• ¼ small red onion, diced
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 1 head fennel, core removed and sliced
• ¼ tsp. fennel seeds
• ½ c. champagne
• ½ c. chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp. mascarpone cheese or goat cheese
• ¼ c. chopped parsley

For the scallops

• 10 oz. scallops (6-8 total)
• ¼ c. panko
• 2 Tbsp. orange zest
• 2 tsp. minced thyme
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. butter, softened

Instructions

For the quinoa

• Cook the quinoa according to package directions.
• Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap; store at room temperature until ready to use.
• Add the butter and olive oil to a large sauté pan. Heat over medium-high heat until the butter is melted.
• Add the red onion and cook over medium until soft, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to brown the onion.
• Add the shallot, fennel, and fennel seeds to the pan and cook until the fennel is soft, about 5 more minutes.
• Add champagne to the pan, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chicken broth and mascarpone or goat cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
• Add the quinoa and parsley to the pan. Toss to combine.
• Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

For the scallops

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Combine the panko, orange zest, thyme, salt, pepper, and butter in a small bowl and stir to combine.
• Heat a cast iron skillet or other heavy oven-safe skillet on over high heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Place the scallops in the skillet and let them brown for 1 and a half minutes.
• Turn the scallops and top them with about a tablespoon of the panko mixture, distributing it evenly among the scallops.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for another 1-2 minutes, being careful not to overcook the scallops.
• Remove from the oven, place on the quinoa, and serve immediately.

Recipe for Success

• Because this dish was for Valentine’s Day I used red quinoa, but you can use any color quinoa you like. Black would be a great contrast to the white scallops.
• The key to success with scallops is not to overcook them. They should be a little less than firm to the touch.
• You can substitute garlic for the shallots in the quinoa if you are a fan of garlic. You could also stir ½ a cup of parmesan into the quinoa to make it creamier. This will increase the points value of the dish.
• A crisp white wine with little to no oak can substitute for the champagne.
• Resist the urge to put oil into the skillet in which you cook the scallops. They will do best in a very hot and dry pan. You know they are ready to flip when a brown crust forms on the bottom and the release easily from the pan.

A few weeks back I made a Striped Bass with Corn and Jumbo Lump Crab Sauté that was just lovely and a great way to eat more fish. Interestingly enough, the best part of the dish was the corn and crab sauté that forms the base of for the fish. It’s a great combination of crisp, bright, and rich flavors that’s just right for a warm evening. After that meal I had this idea that the sauté would be a great base for other types of seafood like scallops and shrimp, and with a few more veggies thrown in it could be a veritable smorgasbord of seafood and veggie goodness. As I contemplated modifying the original recipe I was further inspired by another favorite recipe, Shrimp Boil Hobo Packs, which incorporates sausage into the fray with seafood and corn. The end result is this new dish that showcases fresh seafood and vegetables in a quick and healthy dinner just perfect for al-fresco dining.

Recipe: Spring Seafood Sauté

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Serves: 2 (double to serve four)
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Weight Watchers™ Points: 9

Ingredients

• 4 large (U/10) scallops (about 6 oz.)
• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 2.5 oz. light smoked sausage, thinly sliced
• 2 ears fresh corn cut from the cob
• ½ c. diced red onion
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini squash, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 Tbsp. diced poblano pepper
• ½ c. white wine
• 4 oz. jumbo lump crab, picked through
• 2 Tbsp. minced chives
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¾ c. chicken stock
• 2 tsp. cold butter
• 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Season both sides of the scallops and the shrimp with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. The pan should be very hot. Heat the oil until it smokes.
3. Add the scallops to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook without moving for 2-3 minutes until caramelized. Flip the scallops and cook for another 1-3 minutes until slightly firm to the touch. Move the scallops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Add the sausage to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until lightly brown. Move the sausage to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Add the corn, onion, shallots, zucchini, and red and poblano peppers to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 – 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
6. Deglaze the pan with white wine and boil for 1 minute, scrapping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits.
7. Add the crab meat, chives, thyme, and zest to the pan, stirring just to blend.
8. Add the chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine. Whisk in the butter. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
9. Add the shrimp and reserved sausage to the pan and stir to combine.
10. Raise the heat back to high and boil until the broth reduces by half, the mixture is a sauce consistency, and the shrimp are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasoning one last time and adjust as necessary.
11. To plate, arrange the seafood and vegetable mixture in a shallow bowl. Top with the reserved scallops.

Recipe for Success

• Take some extra time to cut the onion, zucchini, and peppers into a nice, even dice. Not only will they cook more evenly, the final presentation will be prettier.
• I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen corn but it will probably do if you can’t get fresh. The sauté will be a little less crunchy and it may take a little longer for the final sauce to reduce because of the extra water from the frozen corn.
• Be sure your pan and oil are smoking hot when you put the scallops in for the first sear. If the pan isn’t hot enough they will stick to the pan.

Tonight I made a recipe from the Passionate Cook blog that I’ve wanted to try for a couple of weeks now – Grilled Scallops with Thyme Butter, Red Chili, and Parmesan. I’m a big fan of scallops and wanted a different kind of “turf” to go with our surf and turf dinner. I enjoyed this recipe for three reasons:

1. It was so very easy to make: Mix chili and thyme with butter, put it on top of the scallops, and bake them in the oven for a little than 10 minutes depending on size. You can make these more or less spicy by adjusting the amount of chili you put in. (Really, it is that easy.)
2. The presentation is beautiful and once again simple: Pile some baby arugula on a plate, place the scallops on top, and you’re done.
3. The recipe is healthy and easily made low-calorie: I reduced the butter to 2 Tbps. of butter for 1 lb of scallops (down from the 3.5 or so the recipe calls for) and the taste was still fantastic. In Weight Watchers land this recipe is 5 points with each serving including 5.5 oz. of scallops (2-4 depending on size) plus one cup of arugula.

In the Passionate Cook’s blog these were served as an appetizer, in which case you’d most likely only serve one unless the scallops are very small. They would also make a lovely addition to a small plates menu. And, as my dinner tonight showed, you can have them as a main course as well with additional veggies or light pasta for a healthy and flavor-packed meal.

I’m adding these to my easy entertaining repertoire because you buy the scallops cleaned and ready to go (be sure the butcher removes the little foot from the bottom) and you can pre-make the flavored butter. 10 minutes before you are ready to eat, top the scallops with butter and toss into the oven. Scallops count as an impressive dinner party food so your guests will be amazed and it’s up to you if you want to tell them how easy this dish was to prepare.

Learn more about scallops