1Watermelon RadishIf you can't find Watermelon radishes, any kind of radish will suffice! If you're using Red Radishes, you'll want to use at least 2-3.
1Small ShallotMinced
1/2 tsplemon juice
6U-10ScallopsSide muscle removed.
1/2cupYellow cornmeal
1/2tspSaltPlus more to taste.
1/2tsppepperPlus more to taste.
1tbspExtra Virgin Olive Oil
Micro-GreensOptional. I find my Micro-Greens at the Farmers Market and Whole Foods
Chimichurri
1/4cupRed Wine Vinegar
1/2cupExtra Virgin Olive Oil
3garlic cloves
1/4cupParsley
1/4cupcilantro
1Fresno PepperStemmed and Seeded. If you can't find Fresno Chiles, 1/2 tsp of Red Pepper Flakes will suffice.
1tbspAgave
1tsplemon juice
1/2tspSaltAdd more, as needed.
Instructions
Make the Chimichurri
Before Making the Chimichurri, preheat the oven to 425F and place your Bacon on a Parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp, cool and then crumble and set aside in a small bowl.
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend for one minute. Season with salt to taste and set aside. Alternatively, finely mince Fresno Chile, Garlic and herbs and add to a medium size bowl with remaining ingredients. Whisk until combined well.
Prepare the Salad
Begin by segmenting the grapefruit. Trim the top 1/4 inch and bottom 1/4 inch of the Grapefruit to create a flat surface.
With one of the flat sides down on a cutting board, start at the top of the grapefruit with your knife. Cut the peel/pith off from top to bottom, following the natural curve of the grapefruit.
When the peel/pitch has been removed, stand the grapefruit up on a flat surface again. Following the natural line segments of the Grapefruit, cut it in half. Now, you can cut the grapefruit into segments by following the natural lines. Remove any seeds and set segmented Grapefruit pieces aside in a small bowl.
Using a Microplane (or a sharp knife), slice the Radish into thin rounds. Cut your radish pieces, leaving some in halves and some in quarters pieces. Set aside in a small bowl.
Divide Arugula evenly between plates and top with Radish, Grapefruit and Shallots. Top with remaining 1/2 tsp Lemon juice and a piece of Salt and Pepper.
Searing the Scallops
In a medium bowl, combine Cornmeal, Salt and Pepper. One at a time, coat Scallops in Cornmeal mixture and put onto a clean plate.
Heat medium cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add Olive Oil. When hot enough (skillet will put off a touch of smoke), add Scallops to pan and sear for 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and plate beside the salad. Drizzle with Chimichurri, top with Bacon bits, finish with Micro-greens (optional) and serve!
*If you're going to Sous Vide your Scallops, set your Precision Cooker (I use Anova Culinary's model- with bluetooth and Wifi) to 123.8F. Salt and pepper Scallops and place into a vacuum seal or ziplock bag and seal with vacuum sealer or by using the immersion method. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Remove bag from water, Remove Scallops from bag and pat dry. Then, add to cornmeal mixture and sear.
Keyword Best Local St. Pete Food Stores, Best Organic Food Stores St. Pete, Date Night, Dinner, Homecooking, Local Recipes St. Petersburg FL, Local St. Pete Recipes, Recipes Using Local St. Pete Ingredients, Romantic Dinner, St Pete Foodies, St Pete Foodies Home Creations, St Pete Foodies News, St Petersburg Foodies, St Petersburg Foodies News, Valentine's Day, Valentines Day Dinner, Valentines Day Recipe