Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: TF
Cost: $20 and over
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 20-25 min.
Cook Time: 10-15 min.
Difficulty: 2

This is an interesting meal when it comes to the dates I made it for Zo. I first made this recipe for our 5 month Anniversary back in the "No Same Meals for a Year" period. Now I made it for our 2 year 5 month anniversary. As if late I've had to take a break from constantly coming up with new recipes. I've just been feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm no where close to running out of ideas but ever since I hit the 300 recipe mark I find myself pondering, "How many more ideas can I have left" or "How much longer can I keep this up, at this pace?" So in order to get those "major bummer" thoughts out of my head I've decided to take it easy and fall back on ideas from days past. I started flipping through the cook book journal I write my recipes down in and came across this recipes big brother. I thought it would be fun to take that anniversary meal and give it a 2 year tune up. So with an all new pesto and an added bed of fried onions and garlic I asked Zo if she enjoyed the original version or this one more and with mouth full she said, "Thissh wone iss sho good!" So I think that means I've hit a home run! Maybe I will make it four our 5th anniversary next!

Ingredients:
1 lb jumbo scallops
1 tsp Italian volcanic lemon juice
4 garlic cloves (diced)
2/3 cup red onion (chopped)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2-1 tsp fresh crack pepper medley
12 sun-dried tomatoes (for garnishes)

Pesto
1 cup 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup 1 tsp fresh cilantro
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 Haas avocado
2 tbsp Romano (freshly grated)
2 tbsp Parmesan (freshly grated)
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp freshly squeezed sweet lemon juice
2 1/4 tsp Marsala cooking wine
2 tsp black truffle oil
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch of cumin
pinch of smoked paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2-1 tsp kosher salt
1/2-1 tsp fresh crack pepper

Pesto
Place all items in a food processor and pulse until smooth. (Alternatively: Mince all dry ingredients as small as possible and mix with wet ingredients.) Chill until ready to use.

Scallops
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a not stick 10 inch skillet. Once heated cook onion and garlic until garlic is golden brown and crisping (5-7 minutes.) Using a slotted wooden spoon to move garlic and onion from oil onto a paper towel covered plate. Let sit until ready to use.

Turn heat up just a little, add scallops to oil and crack fresh pepper over them. Cook scallops for 3-4 minutes (or until golden,) flip, sprinkle 1 tsp of lemon juice over them, crack fresh pepper over them and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes or until both sides are golden (you may have to flip back over and sear a little more for that nice golden color on both sides.)

The last couple of minutes the scallops are searing separate the onion mixture into 4 even portions. Take these portions and spread them out into 4 5 inch strips about and inch to and inch and a half thick. Spoon 3-4 dollops (depending on how many scallops) of about 1-1 1/2 tsp of pesto down the bed of onion mixture and then place a scallop over each dollop of pesto. Using 3 sun-dried tomatoes make a little garnish on each plate by placing them in a pattern you think looks nice. Serve while still hot!

(Goes well with a light white wine and light side such as soup, orzo or rice.)