Seared Scallops with Cauliflower, Capers and Raisins

When we decided to pick up some scallops at the Farmer's Market - this recipe immediately popped into my head as it have been stored in my "to-make" recipe file for quite some time. The ingredients and preparation are simple - perfect for a weeknight meal.

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower, Capers and Raisins

original recipe HERE

INGREDIENTS
1/2 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 jumbo scallops (1 1/2 pounds), side muscle removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds, preferably marcona
2 tablespoons drained small capers
2 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and boil over high heat until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, shaking off the excess water.
In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the scallops with salt and pepper; add to the skillet in a single layer and cook over high heat until golden and crusty, about 2 minutes. Turn the scallops. *Add the butter, cauliflower, almonds, capers and raisins and cook undisturbed until the scallops are white throughout and the cauliflower is lightly browned in spots, about 1 minute longer. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir gently to coat. Transfer to plates, garnish with the parsley and serve.

*At this point we switched up the recipe a little bit. We wanted to get a decent crust on the scallops (though didn't completely achieve it) so we decided it would be best to cook the scallops separately so the pan didn't get crowded - leading to "steaming" the scallops rather than caramelizing them. So we cooked the cauliflower, almonds, capers, and raisins in their own pan and then composed the dish.

PRESENTATION #1 (akin to the recipe presentation

PRESENTATION #2

What a disappointment - no, not the recipe - but the scallops! Something was seriously wrong with them! Though they smelled fine and were only two days old, they were completely bitter! If I had been at a restaurant there is no way I would have eaten them - but I was at home, having already paid $6 for my four measly scallops, and hungry - so they were consumed, but not enjoyed. It wasn't as if the scallops were rotten, both Derek and I were pretty sure they were not because of the assumed freshness of the scallops and the lack of odor - but never before have I had a bitter scallop! How disappointing!

After research, Derek found a few different reasons for the bitterness ranging from being packed in a specific preserving liquid to being at the ALMOST turning point. Because we maintain the freshness of the scallops (we were told they were picked on Saturday and shucked on Sunday AM) we suspect the little bit of liquid in the storage bag was the perpetrator. We'll have to talk to our fish guy next time we are at the Farmer's Market....

Bitterness (literal and figurative) aside, the recipe was fine - nothing too special, but generally nice. The actual dish took only minutes from start to finish - a true under 30 minutes meal - that gives it bonus points. But in general, it was just a little bit underwhelming - though that's not to say I won't make it again and jazz it up a bit.