I’m a short-range cruiser. Rather than Tortola and Tahiti, my destinations are more like Poulsbo and Port Orchard, in my home state of Washington. I do, however, live aboard my Islander 30, Miramar, in Seattle, so I understand issues important to voyagers — such as refrigeration. My boat is small, and I quickly gave up on the icebox, needing its space for all my pots, pans and baking sheets. Instead, I installed an apartment-size refrigerator with a top freezer in the hanging locker at the foot of the companionway. It runs on AC, so when I’m away from shore power, I find other ways to keep things cold.
Before I leave the dock, I make one-pan meals that I freeze solid, then move them into the fridge, where they act as block ice as they thaw. When they’re defrosted, I just heat and eat! Or I buy items pre-frozen. One of my favorites is frozen sea scallops. I simply ask my supermarket for the quantity of scallops I need directly from their freezer. These are harder than the proverbial brick— the perfect refrigerant. I keep them frozen until I cast off. Once they’re thawed, this is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. I serve this as an entrée; it’s ideal with sauvignon blanc or any other dry white wine, but then again, what isn’t? To serve as an appetizer, just decrease quantities slightly.
Scrumptious Sea-Scallop Salad Ingredients:
- 10 to 12 large sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 to 6 handfuls mixed salad greens
- 1 large avocado
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- 1 tomato or 8 cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
- Fresh mint leaves, to taste
Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons brown mustard
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Steps:
Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place scallops facedown in butter/oil and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Flip and repeat on other side. (The oil may smoke a bit). Remove scallops from pan and cool. They should be room temperature for the salad. While scallops cool, prepare salad ingredients. Place salad greens in a large bowl. Pit the avocado and cut into bite-size wedges. (Squeeze on a bit of fresh lemon juice to prevent browning). Slice tomato into wedges, or halve cherry tomatoes. Add to greens, along with blueberries (optional) and mint. Prepare dressing: In a large measuring cup or small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk until emulsified. Add scallops to the salad and dress to taste. Reserve any extra dressing for future use. Toss and serve immediately. Serves two.
