Scallops, The Marshmallows Of The Sea – Foodie Friday

People always looks at me funny when I call scallops "the marshmallows of the sea". I just have always called them that. They look like marshmallows and they are some of the sweetest treats that mother ocean offers us who walk the land.

Scallops are a favorite around our house, however they can be difficult to cook correctly. That's why I enlisted the aid of Chef Jill McCoy for this edition of Foodie Friday. I wanted a quick and easy way to make fool proof scallops and I needed something to make them a little more interesting. As usual Chef Jill went into her laboratory and brought back a dish that is wonderful.

Naturally this scallop dish is healthy because the Chef doesn't cook foods that will inflate your figure. Plus you know there is going to be an ingredient that I have no idea what the hell it is. So here's today's Foodie Friday Recipe.

I think one of the reasons that I have had limited success with cooking scallops is that I am a tinkerer. I just can't let food sit in a pan and cook without messing with it. For the scallops to do what you need them to do you have to drop them in a hot pan and leave them alone. They will let you know when they are ready to be turned. Your patience will be rewarded I promise. You just have to trust the recipe.

Now about Quinoa. I thought was a town in Mexico actually. It turns out Quinoa is akin to couscous, grits, and poorly made Cream of Wheat. The difference is Quinoa is really good. The way Chef Jill suggests that you prepare it you will find it's not any harder than cooking a pot of rice. The flavor of Quinoa is greatly enhanced by the shallots and garlic and the finished product is a great compliment to the scallops.

I found this recipe extremely easy to follow and the results were so much more than I was expecting. This would be a great date night at home meal since it's elegant and light and there is very little clean up afterwards.