Lunch: Seared Sea Scallops with Spiralized Carrots and Caramelized Onions

Scallops are a very lean?yet moist and buttery-tasting?protein that?s perfect for a special occasion. The secret is searing them quickly over high heat. Spiralized carrots and caramelized onions add an eye-catching accent and subtle sweetness to the whole

Ingredients

1 lb sea scallops
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, spiralized (or peeled with a vegetable peeler or julienned with a mandolin)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp minced fresh chives
2 2/3 cups cooked whole wheat pasta

Instructions

Remove tab from each scallop, if needed. The “tab” is a side muscle, which may or may not still be attached to the scallop. It feels and looks like a little tab and is tougher than the scallop itself. If the tab is still attached, gently pull to remove it.
Pat scallops dry with a paper towel (see Chef Tip). Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add 1 1/2 tsp olive oil to a nonstick sauté pan over high heat.
Sear scallops on both sides until just barely cooked through, about two minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and sauté until caramelized, about five minutes. 
Add garlic and carrots and sauté three minutes. Add the wine and cook until all of the liquid is reduced.
Add the scallops and any accumulated juices to the vegetables and sauté three minutes to finish cooking the scallops through.
Stir in the chives. Serve 1 cup of the scallop mixture over 2/3 cup of the whole wheat pasta.
Chef Tip: "Dry pack" scallops sear best. If using frozen scallops, thaw under cold running water. If using frozen or "wet pack" scallops, dry well with a paper towel before searing. To ensure scallops are dry, you can also sandwich them between paper towels and refrigerate while prepping other ingredients before searing. 
Choices: 2 Starch, 2 Nonstarchy Vegetable, 2 Lean Protein

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