Using rosemary branches to skewer scallops makes for a whimsical presentation and also imparts a little of rosemary’s slightly piney flavor. Keep in mind that the high heat will probably cause the rosemary leaves to brown or fall off when they’re cooked, so don’t expect them to look like they do when assembled. Or if you really love their fresh green leaves, individually wrap the ends of the sprigs in aluminum foil before cooking. In either case, you can also garnish the plates with fresh rosemary sprigs.–Waldy Malouf
Grilled Scallops on Rosemary Skewers
Ingredients
- For the scallops
- 16 small branches rosemary
- 16 large sea scallops
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the tomato chutney
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 5 large ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced
- 1 cup finely chopped candied ginger
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Directions
- Prepare the scallops
- 1. Strip enough leaves off each rosemary branch to make room for 1 scallop and coarsely chop the rosemary leaves. Thread the scallops horizontally onto the branches and lay them on a plate. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and the chopped rosemary leaves evenly over the scallops and season with salt and pepper. Turn gently to coat and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 2. Light the grill.
- Make the tomato chutney
- 3. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato chutney. Warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, coriander, mustard powder, and cardamom and cook for another minute. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato and candied ginger and simmer until thick and jammy, about 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cover to keep warm.
- Grill the scallops
- 4. Place the scallops on the grill (or use a grilling basket), and cook, turning once, until they are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.
- 5. To serve, spread the tomato chutney in a serving dish. Arrange the scallops on top, then sprinkle the lemon juice over all.
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Grilled Scallops on Rosemary Skewers Recipe © 2003 Waldy Malouf. All rights reserved. All recipes and photos used with permission of the publisher.
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Jeremy Schweitzer
This dish is one of the better recipes I’ve discovered on this site. The skewers come together quickly and the chutney can easily be made in advance. I usually don’t like chutneys very much, but this version hit all the points perfectly. There was enough heat, spice, and acidity to balance the sweetness, and that in turn amplified the sweetness of the scallops perfectly. The directions for cooking the scallops yielded perfectly grilled scallops.