Recipe developed & contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
DFC’s Coconut Chili Lime sauce is already so well-balanced, it doesn’t need any help as a marinade. So, we’re calling the recipe below an “enhancement” — where we boost the sauce’s rich coconut milk and citrus flavours with spicy green notes of fresh jalapeño and garden basil. Sweet scallops are the perfect match for this marinade; throw them on the grill and serve next to a crisp salad or light pasta, and your summer supper is complete!
VEGAN VARIATION: As DFC’s Coconut Chili Lime sauce is in fact vegan, we wanted to note that king oyster mushrooms, stems sliced crossways into rounds, make excellent faux “scallops.” Marinate as the standard scallops and grill until done for a delicious, veggie-friendly alternative main.
Spicy Grilled “Green” Scallops
(Yield: 4 servings)
Ingredients:
1/2 c. DFC Coconut Chili Lime sauce (approx. half a jar)
1/8 c. olive oil
1 large jalapeño pepper
6 leaves fresh basil
Scant 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
12 large scallops
Halve your jalapeño pepper, and de-seed it according to your own taste for spice. (We kept half the seeds for a mid-range heat). Place the jalapeño and fresh basil into the pitcher of your blender. Add the Coconut Chili Lime sauce, olive oil, and salt. Blend until the marinade is very smooth and creamy, and is a uniform earthy green colour. Stir in cracked black pepper to taste.
Arrange your scallops in a shallow ceramic or glass dish. (If your scallops came frozen, make sure they are thoroughly thawed and pat them dry with a paper towel.) Pour the marinade over the scallops and coat them well. Cover and let rest in the fridge for no more than 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat your grill to a medium-high heat. Clean the grate well, and rub a little vegetable oil onto it with a folded paper towel held with tongs. The thick marinade will cause the scallops to stick if you skip this step!
When your 30 minutes are up, place your scallops on the grill. (If they are small or the gaps in your grill are wide, skewer them to keep them falling through.) Cook 3 – 5 minutes on each side, until you have good grill marks, and the scallops are still soft when pressed. Plate three scallops per person next to their favourite sides, and enjoy!
