Spinach Pesto Scallop - scallopwiches
Baby spinach. Quite easily available in local grocery stores, and usually comes in a pack, stems already trimmed off and leaves are cleaned. With a tender and sweet flavor, you can eat baby spinach raw (make sure you give them a light rinse before eating, or get the organic variety); add them to salads, or cook them very briefly in pasta dishes.
The nutritional benefits are enormous! High levels of vitamins A and C and an excellent source of vitamins B2, B6, K , manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium. Need I say more?
I made pesto before. This time, I've used spinach, instead of basil; and almonds instead of pistachios, to make some pesto for Weekend Herb Blogging taking place at Kalyn's Kitchen.
This pesto has more of that sweet (due to baby spinach) and tangy (due to some orange juice) flavors. Pairing them with some lightly seared savory scallops, was just great.
Scallopwiches - Scallops stuffed with spinach pesto (appetizer servings ~2)
Ingredients:
- 4 scallops; dab dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, then seared both sides till browned
-handful of baby spinach
-drizzle of olive oil
-2tsps orange juice
-2-3tbsp sliced almonds, adjust accordingly to amount of spinach used
Method:
1. Use a food processor/blender to coarsely "chop n mix" the spinach, olive oil, orange juice, and almonds
2. With the seared scallops, make an incision cut from the edge to the center but do not cut through
3. Stuff the pesto into the scallops
4. Serve
Related posts:
Spinach frittata
Pistachios pesto
Mini sausage burgers
Tag: vegetables, baby spinach, seafood, scallops, pesto, weekend herb blogging
35 comments:
These look so much fun AND sophisticated! Great idea! You've also reminded me that I have a bag in spinach in the fridge that I need to use up!
how clever, clever, CLEVER! i love the presentation they look delicious yums!
This is so interesting! :) Where did you get this idea from?
freya and paul,spinach is so versatile. Maybe can make ice-cream out of it too? ;p
aria, I could just eat the seared scallops as-is, but just had to use up the spinach. :D
simcooks, some old and torn magazine cut-outs. Most of my cooking are inspired from newspaper/magazine cut-outs anyway. That's one way to variate the type of cooking/cuisine. Becomes random. :P
You are so amazingly talented!!! Its a beautiful dish and the photography was great.
you may not like baking as much but this is absolutely beautiful, tiger :) Quite inspirational ;)
I prefer raw spinach to cook spinach. But your recipe looks good. I really like scallops but I have NEVER try to cook one before.
BTW, your photos are always so nice. How many frames do you shoot before you find the right one?
Also, won't the food get cold by the time you finish taking the photos?
So who gets to get the cold food?
Inquiring minds want to know. :-)
WAH WAH WAH...I feel like giving the scallop a bite!!! :(
these tiny vegetarian burger look alike sure good as pop in then sink in right ? think v can have 8 at one go
steamy kitchen, I've much much more to learn from you. Thks for your encouragement. :D
the expedited writer, I guess there are no baking cells in my brain.They are all stove-top cells. ;p
Oh wow! One of the most creative dishes I've seen for a long time. I love the sound of it. (And I have scallops in the freezer and baby shrimp in the fridge too!!
I'm also chuckling at the comment asking "Who gets the cold food?" It is a dilemma of blogging isn't it? And I decided a long time ago that it was just not acceptable to cook food purely to photograph if no one is eating it. Too wasteful.
nice! you are a good cook! :)
Wah wah, so creative...clapping hands. :)
I also bought a whole bunch of scallops last week, 99 sales, right? ;)
Wah! Your food just turned high-class! hehehe...
Gorgeous! That's really creative. I have one question though - how do you then eat them? Delicately with your fingers? hehe!
ming, I did not cook the spinach. It's raw! Just that I chopped them up with almonds. Scallops is one of the
easiest seafood to cook! Just season with salt and pepper then saute in olive oil. YUm yum!
Abt the photos...they are not perfect everytime, coz my kitchen is in a dark corner and does not get sunlight even in the day.
Not more than 10 frames- not to get the right one but to make sure the food does not get cold before tucking in. I'm more interested in eating :D ...hey, nobody gets the cold food ;p
precious pea, hahah...one bite and it'll be gone!
team bsg, tt's why I say it's appetizer servings!!! Hahah! Coz I would also need 8 to make a main dish! :p
kalyn, thks for your encouragement. :D
Nah, nobody gets the cold food ;p Abt cooking food solely for photograph? Think only mag publishing companies and the same,
do that? For a small humble home kitchen, we have to cook, and eat and at the same time, do some photos and blog about it
to "optimize" the efforts that have gone into the cooking. Photos and blogs are just "supporting" activities.:p ...IMHO. But then it depends on the intended purpose.
eliza, thks for such nice compliments. I only get inspired sometimes, not all the times. Usually, it's still
easy home cooking. :D
RM, no lah, still learning and getting inspired day by day. *blush*
No leh, did not get from R99. Mine from Costco-a big bag of raw scallops. :D ...I also like scallops, you know ;p
Unless they are alive and "live", I usually (not never lah!) don't buy scallops/prawns/fish that has been thawed on that bed of ice in R99. Iffy about how often these seafood have been through the thaw+freeze cycle.
ECL, you saying my previous food in other posts all low-class lah! How can? :O
Sounds familiar ?
Wok and spoon, I'm not sure if I've eaten them delicately...but two bites and they are gone!
Both will work, fingers; or fork n knife ;p
How will you eat them?
I've never quite liked pesto before but recently tried it again and hmmm not too bad, must try your recipe now.
I would use my fingers to eat them! Too bad it only takes 2 bites. You'll have to find some giant scallops!
Ooops! No, no, no... I dun mean that lah!
*Slap my mouth repeatedly*
I mean you have presented the ordinary spinach as a classy dish! Bravo!
firehorse, this is not the classic pesto. Not sure if you will like it. To readjust to liking pesto, think you should try basil with pine nuts-the classic. :D
wok and spoon, don't tempt me on giant scallops!
ECL, hahahha...don't worry lah....me no offended lah...no need to *slap your mouth*...
Aw they look so cute! It's beautiful and the presentation is lovely!
amy, thks!
What an absolutely breath-taking presentation.
Definitely a must-do once I'm settled.
Thanks so much for sharing.
ruth, thank you! hope you like it and will try it :)
What a great appetizer! Love the presentation!
oh man.....
it looks absolutely delicious!
i cam imagine that taste in my head now.
brilliant concept and appearance. i would, however, suggest that the 'stuffing' step be done prior to searing the scallops.
This change would achieve 2 things:
Flavor will cook into the scallops instead of just sitting on top of the scallop= so to speak.
and
The scallopswill not lose the
valuable juices or Heat that they would have lost if you took
the time to stuff each one after they were seared/cooked.
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