Seared Scallops with Apple Crisp Salad

I am watching Gordon Ramsey's Amazon Prime cooking show "Ultimate Cookery", and as if I weren't a big enough fan before, I am totally hooked. The way that Ramsey directs and describes the cooking process is captivating and equally informative. So naturally, when I had some scallops on hand; I decided to look up one of his recipes, seared scallops with apple crisp salad.

These scallops were hot off the cast iron so this is the best picture/presentation I got but I am sure that I will be making them again soon! They were incredibly delicious and simple to make, but their elegance will still wow dinner guests. Make sure that you keep a careful eye on the scallops while they are cooking, you do not want them to overcook or they will turn rubbery. If you fry them right, the scallops will have a beautiful color outside and

a silky texture inside.

I served this scallop salad with Penne alla vodka (I will post the recipe soon) and it made a delightful dinner. The best part is it only took me a little over a half an hour to prep and cook everything!

Ingredients:

• Scallops (I used a pack of 18 frozen scallops from Trader Joe's)

• Lambs Lettuce (it has large wide leaves and can be found in most grocery stores)

• 1 apple (preferably green apple)

• 1 lemon

• Olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut outside the apple core and julienne the rest of the apple.

2. In a large bowl, combine washed and separated lamb lettuce leaves. Drizzle with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly toss the salad together then plate.

3. Heat your pan (I used a cast iron pan) on high and add in some olive oil.

4. Season scallops with salt on both sides then place the searing side (large side of scallop) into the frying pan. If you have a lot of scallops, place the scallops starting at the top middle and place the rest counterclockwise around the edge of the pan.

5. Fry scallops on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side) until there it has a nice color/sear. Drizzle with lemon juice.

6. Place your cooked scallops on the salad. Serve!