Author Notes
My friends love me, but they really only want to come to Maine in the summer time. And when they arrive they want the beach and seafood, in that order. Grilled scallops have become my go-to après beach meal because they are quick, delicious and go very well with the French rosès I like to drink in the summer time. —cheese1227
Ingredients
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20 large or 12 jumbo dry-packed sea scallops
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2 ruby red grapefruits
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2 Tablespoons olive oil
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2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon agave
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1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
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1 garlic clove, minced
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1 teaspoon minced Fresno and/or Serrano chili
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Skewers (if wooden, presoaked in warm water for about 45 minutes)
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Salt and pepper
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Canola or grapeseed oil for the grill
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4 cups arugula
Directions
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Remove the crescent-shaped tendon (a.k.a. the “foot”) from the side of each scallop. Use a paper towel to pat dry each scallop. Place them all on a baking rack sitting inside a baking sheet. Refrigerate the scallops until just before grilling.
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In a small, non-reactive saucepan, combine 1 teaspoon of zest and all of the juice (about 2/3 cup) from one grapefruit, olive oil, agave, vinegar and minced garlic. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens slightly into a glaze. Stir in minced chile. Set aside.
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Cut the second grapefruit in four 1/2-inch cross-sectioned slices. Set aside.
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Heat grill to high heat. Cover the grill so the grates get very, very hot. Open the cover and use a steel brush and some elbow grease to completely clean the grates. Cover again for 2 to 3 more minutes to bring the grates back to that piping hot level.
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Remove the scallops from the refrigerator, slide scallops on each skewer so the flat sides are all aligned perpendicular to the skewer, and season with salt and pepper.
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Head back out to the grill, liberally dampen a wad of paper towel with canola or grapeseed oil. Grab the wad with a pair of tongs, and rub the towels along the grates to oil them well. Repeat this process 3 or 4 times. Turn heat down to medium high. Place the skewered scallops on one side of the grill at an angle so you will get diagonal grill marks. Place the cut grapefruit slices on the other half of the grill.
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Cook skewers and grapefruit slices for 4 minutes, turn them, cook for 2 minutes more. Brush some of the glaze over the scallops. Keep them on the heat until they are just cooked through and the grapefruit is nicely marked and sizzling. The scallops should be barely opaque in the middle. Cut one in half if you need to check.
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To serve, arrange the grilled grapefruit and arugula on a platter (or individual plates), top with scallops and drizzle the glaze over the top.
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Serve immediately.
I am an excellent eater (I have been all my life). I’m a pretty good cook (Ask my kids!). And my passable writing improves with alcohol (whether it's the writer or the reader that needs to drink varies by sentence.). I just published my first cookbook, Green Plate Special, which focuses on delicious recipes that help every day cooks eat more sustainably.
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