Toasted Quinoa Salad With Scallops and Snow Peas
- Ready In:
- 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 14
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 12 ounces dry sea scallops, cut into 1/2-inch pieces or 12 ounces dry bay scallops
- 4 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce or 4 teaspoons tamari, divided
- 4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 1⁄2 cups quinoa, rinsed well
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup snow peas, sliced diagonally
- 1⁄3 cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup scallion, thinly sliced
- 1⁄3 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
directions
- Toss scallops with 2 teaspoons soy sauce ( or tamari) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Place a large, high-sided skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil and quinoa. Cook, stirring constantly, until the quinoa begins to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover, and cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Do not stir.) Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in snow peas, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes more.
- Meanwhile, whisk 3 tablespoons canola oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce (or tamari), vinegar, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the quinoa and snow peas, scallions, and bell pepper; toss to combine.
- Remove the scallops from the marinade and pat dry. Heat a large skillet over medium-high until hot enough to evaporate a drop of water upon contact. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil and cook the scallops, turning once, until golden and just firm, about 2 minutes total. Gently stir the scallops into the quinoa salad. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired.
- Notes: Be sure to buy "dry" scallops that have not been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, (STP). STP-treated scallops ("wet" scallops) have been subjected to a chemical bath and are mushy, less flavorful, and won't brown properly.
- Find Quinoa, a delicately flavored, protein-rich grain, in natural-foods stores or in the natural-foods sections of many supermarkets. Rinsing removes any residue of saponin, quinoa's natural, bitter protective covering.
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Reviews
-
I have been planning to make this recipe for over a month now and was so excited as the anticipation built. I looked up reviews of it on another site and they mention that it was bland and oily. . .so I cooked the quinoa in chicken stock which was wonderful, then came the dressing. I agree the dressing tasted primarily of oil, so I added some chicken stock, Asian Garlic seasoning, and some oyster sauce which helped it tremendously. In the end, neither hubby nor I cared for it and we actually threw out the leftovers which is unlike me!!! I highly suggest leaving out the dressing and simply serving the scallops atop the quinoa/veggie mixture. SORRY. . .I hate to give 3 star reviews.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Lise in Indiana
Otterbein, IN
<p>I've been a farm wife for more than 30 years, driving tractors and semi-trucks, and raising corn, soybeans, beef cows, and 4 daughters. We are going against big farm trends and diversifying (rather than specializing), adding laying hens, honey bees and milk goats to our farm. I have too many interests, but especially love artistic pursuits, such as pottery, painting, music, gardening,and creative cooking.</p>