Last Saturday I was watching the Food Network and Brian Boitano (whom I love) made a terrific Hawaiian inspired scallop appetizer.  It had a base of fried wonton wrappers and while they looked delicious, I’ve been trying to make healthier choices and it struck me that this would would translate really well into an amazing dinner salad.

Here’s what I did:

“Relish”
2 mangoes
2 avocadoes
juice of one lime

Peel the mango with a vegetable peeler

slice all the fruit off that you can, avoiding the pit.  Slice into chunks and put in a bowl.

Cut the avocadoes in half and remove the pit. Slice the avocado in a checkerboard fashion while still in the peel.

Using a spoon, gently insert the spoon in between the flesh and the peel, scooping all of it into the bowl with the mangoes. Squeeze the juice of the lime over it, cover and refrigerate.

Salad
Three hearts of romaine
four kirby cucumbers (or two regular)

Chop the lettuce, peel and chop the cucumber, toss, cover and refrigerate.

Dressing
2 T. chopped shallots
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
a big squirt of honey
juice of 1 lime

Combine ingredients in a screw top lid jar, shake well and set aside.

Scallops

Pat dry the scallops with a paper towel, this is important if you want that golden brown crust.  Heat a large non-stick pan on med/high.  In batches, pan sear the scallops, don’t over crowd the pan.  after 2-3 minutes, checking the cooked side – when they’ve got that beautiful “crust”, flip ‘em and cook till they’re browned on the other side.  Place on a plate and it’s ok if they’re not boiling hot when you serve them, you don’t want them to wilt the salad.

On a plate, put some salad, some “relish”, a little dressing and top with a few scallops.

What a great (and very delicious) way to get some terrific nutrients into your family (and you!).

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