Spring Seafood Sauté

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A few weeks back I made a Striped Bass with Corn and Jumbo Lump Crab Sauté that was just lovely and a great way to eat more fish. Interestingly enough, the best part of the dish was the corn and crab sauté that forms the base of for the fish. It’s a great combination of crisp, bright, and rich flavors that’s just right for a warm evening. After that meal I had this idea that the sauté would be a great base for other types of seafood like scallops and shrimp, and with a few more veggies thrown in it could be a veritable smorgasbord of seafood and veggie goodness. As I contemplated modifying the original recipe I was further inspired by another favorite recipe, Shrimp Boil Hobo Packs, which incorporates sausage into the fray with seafood and corn. The end result is this new dish that showcases fresh seafood and vegetables in a quick and healthy dinner just perfect for al-fresco dining.

Recipe: Spring Seafood Sauté

Details

• Difficulty: Medium
• Serves: 2 (double to serve four)
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Weight Watchers™ Points: 9

Ingredients

• 4 large (U/10) scallops (about 6 oz.)
• 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 2.5 oz. light smoked sausage, thinly sliced
• 2 ears fresh corn cut from the cob
• ½ c. diced red onion
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini squash, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 Tbsp. diced poblano pepper
• ½ c. white wine
• 4 oz. jumbo lump crab, picked through
• 2 Tbsp. minced chives
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ¾ c. chicken stock
• 2 tsp. cold butter
• 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Season both sides of the scallops and the shrimp with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a sauté pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan. The pan should be very hot. Heat the oil until it smokes.
3. Add the scallops to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-high, and cook without moving for 2-3 minutes until caramelized. Flip the scallops and cook for another 1-3 minutes until slightly firm to the touch. Move the scallops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
4. Add the sausage to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until lightly brown. Move the sausage to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
5. Add the corn, onion, shallots, zucchini, and red and poblano peppers to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 – 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
6. Deglaze the pan with white wine and boil for 1 minute, scrapping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits.
7. Add the crab meat, chives, thyme, and zest to the pan, stirring just to blend.
8. Add the chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine. Whisk in the butter. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
9. Add the shrimp and reserved sausage to the pan and stir to combine.
10. Raise the heat back to high and boil until the broth reduces by half, the mixture is a sauce consistency, and the shrimp are cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasoning one last time and adjust as necessary.
11. To plate, arrange the seafood and vegetable mixture in a shallow bowl. Top with the reserved scallops.

Recipe for Success

• Take some extra time to cut the onion, zucchini, and peppers into a nice, even dice. Not only will they cook more evenly, the final presentation will be prettier.
• I haven’t tried this recipe with frozen corn but it will probably do if you can’t get fresh. The sauté will be a little less crunchy and it may take a little longer for the final sauce to reduce because of the extra water from the frozen corn.
• Be sure your pan and oil are smoking hot when you put the scallops in for the first sear. If the pan isn’t hot enough they will stick to the pan.