Photo: Scallops with Citrus and Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- Kosher salt
- 3 oranges
- 4 tangerines
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/4 pounds sea scallops, tough foot muscles removed
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives
Directions
Combine the quinoa, 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the water is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, grate 1 teaspoon orange zest, then juice all 3 oranges and the tangerines into a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until dark amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vinegar, citrus juices and zest, and the coriander. Return to medium heat and boil until thick, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter; keep warm.
Season the scallops on one side with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the scallops seasoned-side down and sear until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the other side, 2 to 3 more minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and divide among plates. Top with the scallops, drizzle with the citrus sauce and sprinkle with the parsley.
Per serving: Calories 335; Fat 10 g (Saturated 4 g); Cholesterol 62 mg; Sodium 475 mg; Carbohydrate 34 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 28 g
Photograph by Antonis Achilleos
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By steakfritestogo
Toronto
on November 13, 2011
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Delicious! But I made a few modifications to simplify things. First, I realized that the reduced citrus fruit and sugar could easily be replaced by using lemon juice and high quality marmalade. This was fast and worked well. Second, I used red quinoa which is nuttier and more elegant. Third, using an Indian technique I heated the oil and tiny bit of butter and toasted the cumin seeds prior to adding them, and the cumin infused oil, to the citrus mixture. Finally, I find scallops too rich for an entire meal so I seared a small piece of arctic char with the scallops. I served it with garlic rapini and the meal was outstanding!
By ally_1284
Chicago, IL
on September 06, 2011
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This recipe was difficult to make. As others have posted, I had trouble with the sugar turning to candy (although that was a good lesson learned. Also, I had trouble reducing the fruit juices. The sauce wasn't nearly as thick as I wanted it to be. The quinoa was difficult to find, but worth the search. I liked the texture and the flavor, especially with seafood. The final flavors meshed very well, but it was a stressful dish to make.
By CatherineCooke
Fulton, MO
on March 02, 2011
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I just made this for dinner -- our maiden voyage into the Incan world of quinoa. Everyone voted to add this delicious, protein-rich carb to our repertoire. (It wasn't easy to find in our little, rural, midwest town, however, so Amazon will be my grocer for this product from now on. I was NOT crazy about the way the sugar turned to candy (duh, that's what cooked sugar does, Catherine!that needed to stay over some heat all the time, so next time I might try leaving that out and seeing how the fructose in the citrus reduces on its own...I also added a little Grand Marnier to the sauce, which heightened the flavor, and I loved the coriander! Like others, I used chicken broth instead of water in the quinoa, and I sauted a little shallot while browning the raw quinoa, before adding liquid. It was a very nice meal, and felt really light and healthy. Thanks!
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