WARM SCALLOP SALAD WITH CARROT-GINGER DRESSING

By jkenb

The dressing will make about 1 1/4 cups, but this salad will need only about 1/2 up. Refrigerate the rest for use on grill chicken, fish, pork or grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts kept separate
• 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 to 4 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 pound sea scallops, tough muscle discarded and scallops patted dry
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Wondra flour (or all-purpose)
• 6 cups arugula
• 2 cups chopped cucumber
• 1 mango (or 2 peaches or nectarines), peeled, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted peanuts

Preparation

Step 1

In a blender, combine the carrot, ginger, white parts of the scallions, rice vinegar, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil and the water. Puree until very smooth. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper, dip them lightly in the flour, coating them on both sides and shaking off the excess, then add them to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the scallops until they are just cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes per side (depending on the size of the scallops).

Divide the arugula, cucumbers and mango among 4 salad bowls.
Top the salads with the scallops, scallion greens and peanuts, then drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dressing over each salad.

Serve right away. Serves 4