grilled tequila-lime scallops



tequila-lime scallops





























i wanted to close the long memorial day weekend with something light but flavorful.  these scallops served with a spicy yellow pepper sauce did the trick.  the spicy sauce is one that's been tradition in jack's family for i'm sure, much longer than i've been around. luckily though, my sister-in-law shared the recipe with me; you'll love the vibrant color and extra kick it gives. grab the tequila and heat up the fire!

prep time: 25 mins
cook time: 10 mins
ingredients:

• 12 to 15 medium sized scallops, rinsed and patted dry


• 1/4 cup tequila (apparently you're not supposed to use patron when grilling, jack wasn't too happy with me the first time i made that mistake. just use another sipping quality tequila)


• 2 limes juiced,  plus the zest from 1 lime


• 1 cup couscous


• 1-1/4 cups water


• 2 tablespoons butter


• handful chopped cilantro


• 2 spicy pickled yellow peppers


• olive oil


• 1 lemon, juiced


• salt & pepper to taste

first, soak your skewers so they don't burn when you put them on the grill. next, fire up the grill (or grill pan) to medium high. combine tequila, lime juice and zest in a shallow dish. let scallops soak in the mixture for about 10 minutes (not long enough to cure, then you'd get ceviche, not what we're going for here).
over to your stovetop. bring water to a boil in a medium pan. once it's rolling, add a good teaspoon of salt, the butter and couscous and then pull off the stove. cover the pan and let it rest so the couscous can absorb the water and butter. once it's nice and fluffy, gently mix in the chopped cilantro.
back to your scallops, skewer them and line them up on a plate. drizzle both sides with olive oil (so they don't stick to the grill) and then season both sides with salt and pepper.  carefully place them on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. they should have deep grill marks and feel solid when you go to flip them. don't flip flop back and forth though, one flip is all you need!
while scallops are cooking, de-seed the spicy yellow peppers and give them a rough chop. puree them along with the juice of a lemon and about a tablespoon of olive oil. garnish with a little of the cilantro~


be sure to take caution when grilling with alcohol infused marinades, best when done on an outdoor source.