grilled bay scallops

It was 85 degrees in Washington today, so naturally, I retreated to my building's rooftop oasis to kick off grilling season with Rodrigo, one of my fellow residents at Atlantic Plumbing. Whohoo! We enjoyed a light lunch of grilled bay scallops and a simple arugula and balsamic vinaigrette salad.

Admittedly, it was my first time grilling scallops. I must say that I prefer searing them over medium-high heat in a saucepan. The saucepan allows you to retain the necessary juices for an even, caramelized exterior; grilling the scallops produces a nice sear but you lose a lot of the marinade and the briny juices, which drip through the grates. The results were good, but next time I'll bake the scallops in their shells on the grill or sear them in a saucepan with butter. 

How do you like cooking your scallops?

recipe

• 1 pound good quality bay scallops
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 1 lemon
• Kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 3-4 sprigs lemon thyme

1. Place the scallops in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat.
2. Juice half the lemon and cut the other half into wedges for serving. Strip the lemon thyme leaves from their stems.
3. Season the scallops generously with the salt and pepper, then add the shallots, lemon juice and thyme. Toss again to evenly distribute the ingredients over the scallops.
4. Allow the scallops to marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
5. Grill for 2-3 minutes on both sides directly over high heat, or until they separate easily from the grate. Garnish with the lemon wedges and more of the thyme and serve immediately. 

If you make this recipe, hashtag a pic to #spiceandhutch and post to Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I'd love to see your culinary creations!

whole wheat waffles

I've been on a waffle kick lately. It began two weeks ago when I spotted whole wheat waffles on a Men's Health list of foods for fat loss. These waffles are hearty and crunchy and sweet. Pure maple syrup is a must. And while Men's Health probably doesn't sanction butter as a topping, I certainly do! Recipe below. 

recipe

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 2 eggs, separated 
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk

1. Coat the inside of a waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray or a neutral cooking oil. Turn on waffle iron and allow it to heat while you make the batter.
2. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a batter bowl.
3. Beat the egg yolks until smooth and then stir into the milk and maple syrup. 
4. In a seperate bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites until shiny and stiff. Set aside. You will add them at the very end.
5. Pour the egg yolk/milk into the dry ingredients. Stir until well-combined, then stir in the cooled melted butter.
6. Gently fold in the egg whites. It's fine to have a few small lumps of egg whites in the batter.
7. Pour a half cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron. The device should have a light that changes color when the waffle is done - about 60-90 seconds. Cook until brown and crunchy. Serve immediately with pure maple syrup and toppings of your choice.

If you make this recipe, hashtag a pic to #spiceandhutch and post to Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter. I'd love to see your culinary creations!