Seared Citrus Cilantro Scallops Recipe

Seared Citrus Cilantro Scallops Recipe

Cook Time: 20 minutes  Difficulty:  Easy

One food my family avoids like the plague is scallops...even with the one-bite rule (oh well, more for me).  I guess I really don't blame them as I too had quite the aversion to the slimy little suckers growing up, but boy how my tastes have changed.

I absolutely love them now, and on occasion, I will cook them for myself as a nice lunch treat, but I've also served them to guests as appetizers!! Huge hit!

I love when a recipe comes together from experimenting (playing with food). Many of the recipes I researched had heavy sauces, and some had lime as the featured ingredient. I wanted light, flavorful, and different and wondered how three forms of citrus would taste with these little beauties, so I got cracking. 

The result? Amazing! Fresh succulent scallops, bursting with citrus flavor, tinged with a hint of cilantro, with flavors that will make your taste buds sing. So treat yourself or delight your guests with this fresh and flavorful dish.

Comment below and let us know if you made this tasty recipe. Thank you for visiting. Please come back again.

Ingredients

• 1 pound jumbo sea scallops (12 to 15)

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro Seasoning Blend

• Pepper to taste

• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) canola oil or olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) low-sodium soy sauce

• Juice of 1 lime wedge, 1 orange wedge, and 1 lemon wedge

• 1 Teaspoon (tsp), or to taste Sriracha sauce (optional)

• 2 Tablespoons citrus zest (here we used lime, Clementine, and lemon zest, for color and flavor)

• Chopped fresh cilantro as a garnish (optional)

• Lime wedges, for serving (could also use orange and lemon for a pretty presentation)

Preparation
Rinse the scallops with water and pat dry with a paper towel.  Gently remove the side muscle from the scallop if still attached.  It looks like a flap on the side of the scallop. Season both sides with Cherchies® Chardonnay Lime & Cilantro and pepper.  Set aside.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Next, with a Microplane, zest a lime, a Clementine orange (you could use regular oranges), and a lemon.  If you don't have a zester, no worries, you can simply use a knife.  (Check out our blog on "To Zest or Not to Zest").  

Mix the zest together and set aside.  Since you'll only need a couple of Tablespoons, freeze the rest in a plastic bag for later use.

Now for searing the scallops.  Don't let the word "sear" intimidate you.  It's really very easy.  It's simply using a good skillet, such as a cast iron skillet and browning food with high heat.  You'll also want to make sure you do not crowd the scallops, they like their "space", so cooking in batches is preferable. -Better Home & Gardens

Add the oil to the skillet and turn on the skillet to medium-high heat.  Add the seasoned scallops to the skillet and sear on one side until the bottom begins to brown, about 5 minutes.  Turn the scallops over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the bottom is browned and scallop is opaque.  Remove the first batch and place on a plate and proceed to cook the remaining scallops in the same manner.

Allow scallops to rest briefly while you make the sauce.  Add the soy sauce and the juice of the citrus wedges to the hot pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the flavor, and cook for about 2 minutes on high.  Plate the scallops on a platter and drizzle them with the pan sauce. Garnish the scallops with the citrus zest and serve.  Oh my!  Prepare to have your taste buds tantalized.  Enjoy!

View fullsize

Pizzazzed Burger Recipe

View fullsize

Pizzazzed Burger Recipe with Herbed Sweet Potato Fries

Cook Time: 20 minutes (if don't freeze, otherwise 40 minutes)  Difficulty: Easy

Burgers have to be one of our family's favorite meals, all kinds!  You can make a burger out of practically everything (meat, beans, vegetables, etc.), and according to daysoftheyear.com, May is hamburger month.  

One of our favorite burgers is our Pizzazzed Burger, made with our special Pepper Pizzazz Seasoning Blend!  For years at our swim club cookouts, people would ask, "What seasoning did you use in the burgers?...They're amazing!"  

In celebration of hamburger month, this mouth-watering burger recipe will have your guests asking for seconds.  We have made this basic recipe with beef as well as ground chicken and turkey.  It's a must have in your recipe arsenal. Add our favorite toppings (mustards, ketchups, or special sauce combinations) for a delicious tasy burger.

Short on time?  Purchase frozen burger patties from your local grocery store, and sprinkle Cherchies® Pepper Pizzazz on top.  Instant flavor (this is what we used to do at our swim clubs for those impromptu cookouts).

So fire up those grills...it's burger season.  What's your favorite burger recipe?  We'd love to hear from you!  

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, finely chopped 
• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Olive oil
• 1 Lb. ground meat (we use a mixture of beef, pork, and veal, but have made this recipe with ground chicken or turkey).
• 1 egg
• 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Pepper Pizzazz Seasoning Blend
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (your choice)
• 1-2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard or Cherchies® Hot Banana Pepper Mustard
• **For chicken or turkey burgers, add 1/4 cup mayo

Preparation

Saute the onions in olive oil.  I don't always do this step (Ok, sometimes I get lazy). Fresh finely minced onions are just as good.  Set aside.  Add remaining ingredients plus the cooked onions to a large bowl.  

Mix with hands to just combine.  Shape into patties and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Next, use your thumb to make a little well in the burger (Thank you Rachael Ray for that tip).  Freeze for about 30 minutes.  My hubby swears by this step, but I've made them without freezing.

Turn grill onto High then low after grill has heated up.  Cook to desired doneness.  

Serve with our Herbed Sweet Potato Fries, Festive Deviled Eggs, and Strawberry Spinach Salad for a complete meal.  Enjoy!

View fullsize

Seafood Casserole Recipe

View fullsize

Seafood Casserole Recipe

Casseroles, they're the perfect meal for those busy nights, they're elegant enough for a crowd, they can be made ahead, and they're the perfect vehicle to hide certain ingredients, like shrimp (That's the part I like the best).

I had just prepared a batch of Homemade Mushroom Soup and was in the mood for seafood, especially shrimp, but I had to be clever. 

With the exception of our middle child (15), our entire gang loves shrimp.  I too was picky as a child, and had "to clean my plate" even if I didn't like something, so I understand pickiness (our dog was well-fed...sorry mom).

Boy have things changed for me, thank goodness!  My hubby and I are major foodies, and because we like to try lots of different cuisines, our kiddos are used to my culinary creations and usually like everything I prepare for them, including shrimp. (However, they don't have to "clean their plate", they just have to "try one bite").

So, here's the clever part, I knew my son would enjoy this recipe, but he'd be leary about the shrimp, so I hid the shrimp in the casserole, but not like the picture posted, I actually hid it.  

I made two 8x8 casseroles.  For the rest of the gang I made the casserole exactly like pictured above, with the chunks of succulent shrimp.  For the second casserole, I pulverized half of the shrimp and cream of mushroom soup in my food processor, then added to the crab and rest of the ingredients.  Done!  I know, sneaky, right?  He never knew what hit him.

It worked!  Our son thoroughly enjoyed this delicious creamy casserole, including the shrimp, and even helped himself to seconds.  Feeling guilty I had tricked my son, I fessed up after dinner.  He said he had a feeling I did something sneaky, especially when his siblings were raving about the chunks of shrimp, shrimp that he couldn't find;)

Clever son:)

Have anything your children won't eat?  Try hiding it in a casserole, but you may not want to fess up at the end, until maybe much later in life;) Ha!

Ingredients

• 20 oz. Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (you could use small cans of Cream of Mush. soup...but why?  Homemade is so much better)
• 1 cup lite mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Sherry
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) Cherchies® Garlic Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) Cherchies® Champagne Mustard
• 1 1/2 lbs. seafood (2 cans of lump crab meat and 1 lb. shrimp)
• 1 5 oz. cans of water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup minced green onions, reserving 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) for garnish
• 3 cups seasoned stuffing mix (or bread crumbs seasoned with Italian Seasoning)
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Cooked rice or noodles (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the stuffing (or breadcrumbs) and cheese.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the stuffing mix (or bread crumbs) and cheese. Once the ingredients are mixed, spoon them into a 9x13 casserole dish.  Sprinkle the casserole with the stuffing (or bread crumbs) and cheese mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.  Serve over rice or noodles.  Garnish with remaining scallions.  Enjoy!

View fullsize

Fiesta Chicken and Sausage Stew over Polenta

Fiesta Chicken and Sausage Stew over Polenta Recipe

Cook Time:  30 minutes  Difficulty:  Easy

This tasty recipe has comfort written all over it.  Creamy Monterey Jack polenta topped with a spicy tomato chicken and sausage stew! Oh my! 

I wasn't sure how the kiddos would react to eating polenta, but they enjoyed this dish immensely.  A definite must have in your recipe repertoire!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 2 Italian sausage links, sliced into 1 inch pieces

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp Olive oil (I use coconut oil)

• 3 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Cherchies® Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend

• 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine

• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 3 - 3 1/2 cups water

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) pepper

• 5 tbsp Butter

• 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated

• 4 - 4 1/2 cups water

• Chopped Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large dutch oven, add the onions, chicken, sausage, Select Grilling Rub & Seasoning Blend, and oil.  Cook until chicken and sausage are no longer pink (about 15 minutes).   As chicken and sausage are cooking, prepare the polenta.

Add chicken broth or white wine to the dutch oven, making sure to scrape the bottom to loosen any bits that may have stuck.  This is flavor you don't want to miss in your dish.  Add the tomato sauce, garlic, cilantro, and greek yogurt.  Stir and simmer on low until polenta is finished.

In a large high sided skillet add water and milk. Bring to a boil and slowly whisk in polenta. Once all the polenta has been added turn the heat down to low and slowly whisk until thick. On my stove this takes about 7 minutes.  Once creamy and cooked remove from heat and stir in butter, cheese and salt.

Add polenta to the bottom of a bowl and top with the stew.  Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.  One dish comfort!  Enjoy:)