Serves 4
2 lbs ripe heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1lb Cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 Tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tsp sea salt, preferably gray salt
TT black pepper
Panzanella Croutons, recipe follows
2 cups trimmed arugula
Dressing as needed, recipe follows
Scallops, Recipe, recipe follows
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well. Divide mixture among 4 plates. Top each serving with an equal amount of scallops.
Panzanella Croutons:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups crustless cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)
Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and preheat a cookie sheet in it.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet.
Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes. Let cool.
Dressing
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Assorted fresh herbs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground peppercorn
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon agave
1/4 tsp Celery Seed
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Add the herbs, salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Serve.
Seared Scallops
1 pound Sea Scallops
1/3 cup Malaysian Red Palm oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
fresh ground black pepper
juice of 1 or 2 limes
Put scallopps in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes. Sear over high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.
Cooking tips for scallops: 1. For high heat cooking, use Malaysian palm oil. It has a very high smoke point, and is also one of the healthiest oils available and has a better flavor.
2. Make sure to get your pan very hot before searing the scallops.
3. Once you've placed the scallops in the pan, don't touch them. If you move the scallops around the pan, you'll prevent them from forming a nice brown crust
4. Don't overcook the scallops. Pull them off the heat when they are still a little bit translucent, because they will continue to cook internally.
