Grilled Scallops and Nectarines with Jersey Corn and Tomato Salad

Great Summer Meal

I was reading my August 2008 edition of Bon Appetit while sitting on the beach and found this summer recipe that looked perfect for all the local ingredients available this time of year. Jersey corn, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and local scallops were a disappointment.

I purchased local scallops over frozen ones because they were supposedly fresh and on sale. I purchased them in a supermarket, not a local fish store, which may have been a mistake, too. They turned out to be chewy and rubbery, so I will make this dish again with day boat or diver scallops someday.

The good news is the dressing and salad were incredible and very easy to prepare. In fact, you could use the salad with any grilled fish or shellfish as well as chicken or maybe even pork. We grilled nectarines, but I want to try this dish with fresh, local Jersey yellow peaches.

Ingredients

Chili powder is a spice blend made from dried and ground chili peppers and other complementary spices. Chili powder's exact ingredients and flavor profile can vary based on regional preferences and individual recipes. It is commonly used in various cuisines to add heat, color, and flavor to dishes.

Fresh basil leaves refer to the green, aromatic leaves of the basil plant (Ocimum basilicum) that are harvested and used in cooking. Basil is a popular herb in many cuisines and is known for its sweet, slightly peppery flavor and distinct aroma. The leaves are often used fresh, as their flavor is most vibrant when they are not subjected to prolonged heat.

Olive oil is an edible oil extracted from olives, the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea). It is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and is widely used worldwide for its rich flavor and various health benefits. Olive oil has been a key component of human diets for thousands of years. There are several types of olive oil, and their characteristics depend on factors such as the quality of olives used, the region of production, and the extraction process.

Diver scallops, also known simply as "diver" or "day boat" scallops, refer to scallops harvested by hand rather than by dredging or other mechanical methods. The term "diver" emphasizes skilled divers' sustainable and environmentally friendly harvesting practices.

Nectarines are a type of stone fruit that belongs to the same family as peaches (Rosaceae). They are a smooth-skinned variety of peach. The main difference between peaches and nectarines lies in the skin—nectarines have smooth, thin skin, while peaches have fuzzy or velvety skin.

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

Grilled Scallops and Nectarines with Jersey Corn and Tomato Salad

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: scallops

Servings: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Salad Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1½ teaspoons lime peel finely grated
• ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• sea salt to taste

For the Basil Puree

• ¾ cup fresh basil leaves loosely packed
• ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper freshly ground, to taste

For the Salad

• 24 sea scallops side muscle removed and patted dry -- (If you can't find day boat, diver or dry scallops, opt for frozen)
• 3 ripe nectarines or peaches, cut into 6 wedges
• olive oil for brushing on scallops and nectarines while grilling
• 1½ cups fresh corn kernels corn. cut from 2 large ears of fresh
• 24 grape tomatoes cut in half
• ⅓ cup basil leaves thinly sliced, for garnish
• salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

How to Prepare Dressing

• Whisk together the lime juice, lime peel, and chilly powder in a small bowl. When combined, slowly add the oil while whisking quickly.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Prepare Basil Puree

• Start by blanching the basil leaves in a small pot of boiling water salted for just 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and squeeze as much water as possible from the basil.
• Coarsely chop up the basil.

  The article suggests using a blender to puree the basil with oil, but the blender we had available at the beach house we were renting didn't do an excellent job. If you have a mini food processor, try that. If not, I would chop the basil up fine by hand and then whisk it with the oil.
• Season with some sea salt.

How to Prepare the Salad

• Get your grill to medium-high heat. It can take 10 to 15 minutes to get the grate hot using a gas grill.

  A big mistake lots of home cooks make is they turn the gill on, wait a couple of minutes, and start grilling. Always preheat the grill as you preheat your oven before baking or roasting.
• Brush olive oil on the scallops and nectarines and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the scallops until they are slightly grilled and cooked through.

  The article says this takes about 2 minutes per side, but everyone's grill is different and takes a little longer.
• Be sure the scallops are completely dry, or they will steam and not give you the charring. I think this is one of my many mistakes with this dish.
• Grill the nectarine sections until slightly charred. Again, depending on your grill, this could take 1½ to 3 minutes per side. Remove and reserve the scallops and peaches until ready to plate.

Plating the Scallops:

• If serving 6, arrange four scallops on six plates. Just before serving, toss two tablespoons of dressing in the corn and one tablespoon of dressing with the tomatoes—season both with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon a little corn around the scallops and "scatter" the tomatoes over the corn. Tastefully arrange the nectarine slices on the plate and drizzle a little dressing over the scallops.
• Finish the plate with a little basil puree & sea salt over the corn and tomatoes.

Notes

Both the Dressing and the Basil can be prepared 1 day ahead of when you are going to make this recipe but be sure to remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.

Some of My Favorite Scallop Recipes