Scallop Piccata with Toasted Pine Nut Herb Cous Cous

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I wanted to share the recipe from my last cooking class.

Scallop Piccata with Toasted Pine Nut Herb Cous Cous

This recipe was so fun to teach and even more delicious to eat. I think scallops are a fun entertaining dish because they look impressive but I promise they are pretty easy to make. Below are some tips I shared during the class to help you execute the recipe with ease! As always, feel free to comment any questions you may have down below 🙂

Cooking Tips:

• Make sure you buy “dry” scallops when purchasing. It is also important here to not use frozen scallops. When buying fresh scallops look for ones that have nice white flesh and are firm to the touch. The bigger the better in most cases!
• Before cooking the scallops, make sure to pat them dry. In order to get a nice sear you want the scallops to be as dry as possible. 
• If you don’t eat scallops, this recipe would work well with any mild white fish, such as halibut, cod, tilapia, bass, etc. 
• When you place the scallops in the pan to sear, don’t touch them!! Set a timer for 1 minute per side. You want to make sure your pan is HOT before you add the scallops.

Scallop Piccata with Toasted Pine Nut Herb CousCous  

Serves 2-3:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry scallops (sea or bay)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tbsp capers
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided 
• ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons, but measure!)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil 
• 3 tbsp fresh minced parsley 
• 2 tbsp minced chives
• 1 ¼  cup chicken stock (veg stock or water work fine too)
• 1 cup couscous
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted 
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. In a soup pot, bring 1 ¼  cup chicken stock to a boil. Once boiling, add in couscous, plus a large pinch of salt and pepper, remove from heat, cover with a fitted lid, and set a timer for 5 minutes. 
2. In the meantime, thoroughly dry your scallops and season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a 12inch skillet to high heat. Add in 1 tbsp olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the pan. Sear the scallops for exactly 1 minute per side. Do not touch them! Remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate. 
4. In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp butter and a dash more olive oil and place on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the capers, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in 2 more tablespoons of butter and stir to combine. Add the scallops back to the dish, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Turn off heat and stir in half the minced parsley. 
5. Meanwhile, once the couscous is done, fluff with a fork and add the remaining minced parsley, chives, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, and remaining tablespoon of butter. Season to taste, and serve alongside the scallops.

I will be announcing my next cooking class tomorrow and will be sharing a new pasta recipe next week 🙂

XX Chelcie