Scallops with Spicy Beans, Tomatillo, and Citrus
MAKE THIS RECIPE. Seriously. I ate this like it was my job. OMG.
Okay, so it seems like it might be odd ingredients, but trust me, you can get it all at Kroger. Sea scallops aren’t cheap; fresh from the seafood counter they’re about $20/lb. But if you factor in all the rest of the ingredients and you’re eating at home and not having to go out, it’s more affordable than a restaurant meal. Also, don’t swap out for bay scallops, which are cheaper, but they’re also smaller and you want the big guys for this dish. They do have tomatillos at most grocery stores and they are delicious! I used a jalapeno for the chili and bought a couple of tangelos instead of tangerines because I didn’t want to get a whole bag.
So let’s talk about the flavor. The tomatillos aren’t quite like green tomatoes, they’re sweeter. But throw in the sweet from the orange and the little bit of heat from the jalapeno, and the light onion flavor from the shallot? YES! The beans weren’t super spicy because I cut back on the red pepper flakes a little bit. So something about the tangy, sweet, spicy, creamy from the beans, with the scallops all together? Holy cow. I really don’t know what else to say other than you should try this, and I will 100% be making this again. I might let the citrus soak a little longer just for the flavors to meld more, but not necessary. Oh, and make sure to have some bread to soak up the sauce. Kroger has nice little pre-baked French and Italian loaves, get whatever floats your boat. Bonus, it takes about 8 minutes to cook the whole thing, so you look like a rock star and all you did was slice some stuff and fry scallops. WINNING!
Cheers! ~ Jen
