Zucchini Wrapped Scallops Recipes

SEARED CURRIED SCALLOPS WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear scallops in 2 batches, adding another 1/2 tablespoon oil if necessary, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Transfer scallops to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet, then cook ginger and garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Return scallops to skillet with any juices accumulated on plate and toss with zucchini just until heated through, about 1 minute.

SAUTEED SEA SCALLOPS WITH TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Halve each scallop crosswise, if 3/4 inch thick or more. Set aside.
• Trim the ends of the zucchini, and cut them into 1/8-inch slices.
• Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for about 10 seconds to loosen the skins. Remove skins and chop the tomatoes coarsely.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes over high heat, stirring and tossing. Remove the zucchini to a plate, and keep them warm.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat and saute the scallops about a minute. Season with salt and pepper while stirring and tossing.
• Add the butter, shallots and garlic. Cook briefly, add the tomatoes, and cook for a minute more. Add the zucchini, lemon juice and rosemary. Cook, stirring and tossing, for a minute over high heat. Blend well. Sprinkle with basil, and serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI-WRAPPED HALIBUT "SCALLOPS"

Steps:

• To prep, mix the ingredients for the two rubs and the glaze in 3 separate bowls. Then, using a vegetable peeler, start peeling along the length of the zucchini, beginning with the green outer layer, creating 1/2-inch-thick ribbons. Rotate the zucchini a quarter-turn after each peel in order to make somewhat even-sized ribbons. Make as many as possible and stop when you get to the seeds. Lay the ribbons out on a plate and sprinkle the zucchini rub on both sides, spreading gently it with your hands until all of the pieces are covered. It doesn't have to be an even coating, but you want every ribbon to have some color and spice.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Dip the halibut chunks into the scallop rub, making sure they are coated on all sides. Tightly wrap a zucchini ribbon around a halibut cube like a belt, so that the ends overlap. Use a toothpick to secure the zucchini and push it through to the other side. Place the wrapped halibut on a plate and repeat the procedure with the remaining fish and zucchini ribbons.
• Now it's time to start on your sauce. Add the spinach to the boiling pot of water and cook for 1 minute. Immediately remove the spinach from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid, and transfer the spinach to a colander to drain. Rinse with cold water and when cool to the touch, use your hands to tightly squeeze the spinach and wring out the liquid. Do this 4 to 5 times until no water remains. Finely chop the spinach into little green bits and set aside.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the flour and whisk until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and whisk until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and the chopped spinach and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. The sauce will look thick, like creamed spinach. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep the sauce warm.
• Reheat the water you used to cook the spinach, and bring to a boil. Make sure you have your halibut rounds, the glaze, a plate, a large sheet of foil, and your serving bowl ready to go, because you are about to be moving around your kitchen quickly.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes or according to the instructions on the package. While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil over medium heat in a large skillet (nonstick if possible). When the oil starts to hiss and sizzle, place the halibut pieces in the pan in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes. Evenly spread the glaze on the top of the fish and then flip the halibut rounds, cooking the other side for 2 minutes more. Spread more glaze on the top side again, flip, and cook for a final 1 to 2 minutes. The halibut will have a crisp, brown sear on both sides. Put the cooked fish on a clean plate and cover it with foil to keep warm. If you had to split the fish into two batches, repeat until all the halibut rounds are cooked.
• Finally, drain the pasta and put it into a large bowl with a drizzle of olive oil so the noodles don't stick together. Add the warm spinach sauce to the pasta and toss.
• To serve, make a nest of the sauced noodles on a plate and top with 4 or 5 "scallops" per guest. Remove the toothpicks and dig in.

SCALLOPS WITH PEPPER AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Wash scallops and cook in vermouth for 1 minute. Set aside.
• Wash, trim, seed and chop whole red pepper.
• Heat a nonstick pan until it is very hot, then reduce heat to medium high and add oil. Saute red pepper until it begins to soften.
• Wash, dry and coarsely chop whole zucchini. Add to red pepper and continue cooking until vegetables are soft.
• Grate ginger and add while vegetables cook.
• Wash, dry and chop chives.
• When vegetables are cooked, add the chives and drained scallops. Season with salt and pepper.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH ZUCCHINI RIBBONS AND MINT-CHIVE OIL

Steps:

• Prepare an outdoor grill with a medium-high fire. If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling. (Or you can use wooden toothpicks.)
• For the scallops: Slice the zucchini lengthwise on a mandoline into thin slices, about 1/8- inch thick. When you get to the seedy center, rotate the zucchini 1/3 turn and continue to shave slices until you hit seeds. Give the zucchini a final 1/3 turn and shave off the remaining slices. (You want to end up with the same number of zucchini slices as you have scallops.) Discard the seedy center. Wrap a zucchini ribbon around the circumference of each scallop. Thread 2 to 3 scallops per skewer or 1 per toothpick.
• For the dressing: Whisk the mint, chives, orange juice, 2 tablespoons oil, limoncello, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Cut up the tomatoes, season them with salt and black pepper to taste, and divide them among 4 plates.
• Brush scallops with oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill, turning to cook both sides, until zucchini and scallops are cooked through and have distinct grill marks, about 8 minutes total. Divide the scallops evenly among the plates, drizzle scallops and tomatoes with the dressing, and serve hot or at room temperature.