Chilli and lemongrass scallops: mid week feast!

Late this week we stumbled upon a rare treat, it was pouring with rain outside and neither my husband nor I could decide what to have for supper. I’d been given a voucher for Waitrose for my birthday so we decided to pop along to see how quickly we could spend £20. Making our way straight to the meat and fish counter, we were amazed to see that almost everything was reduced by well over 50% of the original price, there were some serious bargains to be had!

Usually at £19.99 per kilo we picked up 1/2 kg of Patagonian scallops for – wait for it- £3.50! We decided then and there that these were to be supper and picked up some other key bits to go with them. A total spending of £7 later and we had the ingredients for a very delicious and nutritious supper – oh, and change (winner!).

What you need

(Enough for 2 large portions or 4 starter sized portions)

*500g scallops (we used Patagonian scallops)
*1 chilli
*1 pinch salt
*1/2 tsp pepper
*1 stick lemongrass
*1tsp coconut oil
*1 red cabbage
*6 asparagus
*3 large carrots
*3 small sweet potatoes

Directions:

Carrot and sweet potato purée
(total making and prep time: approx 10 minutes)

• Chop up carrots and sweet potato and put in a pan of boiling water for about 8 minutes- until soft
• Place in to a blender with a tsp coconut oil and pinch of salt and blitz until smooth and paste like

Red cabbage
(Total making and prep time: approx 10 minutes)

• Cut of the base of a red cabbage and discard then thinly slice about ½ of it in to long strips, tip in to mixing bowl
• Thinly slice the ends of your asparagus (although do not slice if too woody) and add to your bowl of cabbage and toss.
• In a frying pan on a high head add coconut oil and garlic
• Add in your cabbage and asparagus pieces, with a pinch of salt
• After about two minutes of frying, add a splash of water to help steam the cabbage through
• Allow to steam for about 4 minutes on a low heat until ready to serve

Asparagus
(Total making and prep time: approx 5 minutes)

• Find the natural breaking point about 3/4 away from the tip and break off the ends (Keep the end bits as you will use these later)
• In a pan of boiling water place the asparagus for 3-5 minutes.

Note: It’s important that you don’t over cook it otherwise it will go limp and soggy

Scallops
(Total making and prep time approx 4 minutes)

• In a wok or deep-frying pan fry off your coconut oil, chili and lemongrass for about 1 minute
• Season your scallops with the salt and pepper before placing in to the pan sliced side down and cook for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Keep turning the scallops over so both sides are golden
• Remove the scallops from the pan straight to your plate and serve immediately with a large squeeze of lemon juice.

Note: It is important not to overcook scallops

This is a very quick meal to make but you do have to be aware of timings, I have put the recipe directions in order of how I cooked our meal so that everything was still hot once it reached the plate. A perfect meal for date night, romance, a dinner party or celebration!

Why are scallops good for you?

Scallops are such a versatile mollusc, very simple to prepare and simply delicious. They also an excellent source of protein and contain a variety of nutrients and can help to protect against the prevention of cardiovascular problems and certain cancers.

• VITAMIN B12: Scallops are an excellent source of the vitamin B12. B12 helps to keep homocysteine levels down, a chemical which can directly damage blood vessel walls and increases the risk of contracting atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, heart attack and stroke and colon cancer
• MAGNESIUM: Scallops contain magnesium which helps our blood vessels to relax, helping to keep blood pressure stable and improving blood flow
• POTASSIUM: Scallops are also a good source of potassium which helps to maintain stable blood pressure levels
• OMEGA 3: Having a diet rich in omega-3 fats, such as scallops helps to increase heart variability and reduce the risk of arrhythmia. It can also greatly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, Alzheimer’s and is said to help improve mood and reduce depression

Would love you hear if anyone has any other great tips for cooking scallops?