Succotash was a bean dish adapted by the early settlers from the Native Americans. It makes a light, flavorful and summery base for seared scallops. Seared Scallops with Succotash.
serves 4 as main course or 6 to 8 as first course
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large leek, white and pale green parts, halved lengthwise, cut into ½” pieces and well rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, trimmed and cut into ½‑inch dice
- 1 (15oz) can lima beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into ½” pieces
- 4 ears fresh corn kernels
- 4 tablespoon chives, minced and separated
- 2 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 large sea scallops, tough muscles removed
Directions
Make the succotash: Melt the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften but is not yet colored. About 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and green beans; cook an additional 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the lima beans, corn, 2 tablespoons chives, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
Make the scallops: Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat until very hot but not quite smoking. Add the scallops in batches to avoid crowding. Cook the scallops undisturbed on one side about 3 minutes until a nice golden crust forms. Flip them over and cook an additional minute or two until they are barely translucent in the center.
Gently reheat the succotash if necessary and serve the scallops on top. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining chives.
raw squash blossoms, are you kidding me?! any authentic Italian would laugh at this recipe…
II am so glad you posted the dressing. I never had the chance to tell you how good this salad was (and I’m sort of super picky with salad dressings). Notice I ate every bite. Remind me which olive oil you used; it was nice and didn’t overpower. I liked what the seeds did so much I bought some yesterday to repeat this salad.
You are just (no more) as awesome in person as on your blog. No smoke and mirrors here!
xoxo
That looks just about perfect. I just made a fresh batch of ricotta, and I smoked part of it. I’m thinking that might be tasty in this salad. I’ll get back to you on the results.
Thanks for the reminder to keep it simple. I agree, the delicate flavors of flor de calabaza can easily be overpowered. I’ll try this salad once I get an excess of flowers. Right now, I’m awaiting actual squash in the garden. In a few weeks I’ll be inundated with them and will have your recipe at the ready.
I’ve been wanting to try the stuffed/fried version for two years but our farmer’s market has not had them when I have visited. Boooo them.
What do they actually TASTE like? Like a green or more like squash itself?
More like dainty version of the squash itself. GREG
I have been making these like a mofo since I am part of a community garden I get a fresh bunch any and every morning that I want — I love the idea of a salad since I have made them into risotto, frittatas, stuffed, quesadillas and omeletes — I am running out of ideas.
I have failed my culinary training- I bought some at the farm last weekend, and put them gently in water, as I had already drove all the way home with them carefully in my lap- placing them carefully in water with some fresh basil, well, I came back too late and they had shriveled up to crisp dry existence. Hubby has not said anything, so there still may be a chance I can go back and make them asap and he will not know, but I will always remember…
I should have come here sooner, maybe they would have been a better memory 🙂
tut tut tut… GREG
very pretty salad! I love the simplicity of it. It looks really light and refreshing to have during a hot day
You’re so right… simple is beautiful. Simple is spectacular. When I saw squash blossoms at the farmer’s market I almost couldn’t resist buying them, but I just wasn’t up to the prospect of stuffing and deep-frying in my blazing hot kitchen. Didn’t realize I could make a salad! Silly moi.
Would you believe that I’ve never had squash blossoms? I’ve seen so many fantastic recipes using them — fried, stuffed, salads — and they look beautiful! Alas, there is absolutely no source for them near me. I’ll keep hoping for better produce selection, though, and I’m sure that one of these days some blossoms will come my way!
What a bright and beautiful dish!
That is a beautiful salad. Any dish with sliced avocados really catches my eye, especially with the lemon vinaigrette and seeds. The yellow and green of the bouquet are lovely in that wonderful light.
of your farmer’s market posts as you ALWAYS seem to have access to many ingredients that I can only dream about. But hey…I actually saw some squash blossoms in my very own little garden just this morning. Guess what I’m going to do with them? Why, make this delicious looking salad, bien sur. — S
Choose the males so you don’t limit your squash crop! GREG
I love the bouquet of squash blossoms. The recipe looks great too!
The zucchini in my garden is just starting to get blossoms and I’m trying to decide what I should make with them. This salad looks really good… love the avocado in there, too!
The sunflower seeds sound good, but shouldn’t you have used squash blossom seeds? : )
What kind of ricotta did you use? Was it a good one from a cheese shop or deli or just the kind in a tub from the grocery store? I found the ones in the tub to be pretty dreadful when I made a ricotta cheesecake and want to know where to get a better one.
I used handmade Sheep’s Milk Ricotta from Hidden Hills Creamery in Wisconsin. It about the best tasting ricotta I have ever eaten! There is a link to it in my Ricotta Tart post. GREG
And simple is very pretty in this case too. Almost too pretty to eat, in fact. Note, I said almost. Now, where’s my fork?
Isn’t this lovely? What a great way to taste summer!
All these squash blossom recipes lately I wish someone was selling them at my local market too.
I grabbed a few handfuls at the Hillcrest market this morning. I was going to prepare them traditionally stuffed and fried, however I think your beautiful recipe has changed my mind.
I have been meaning to cook some blossoms.. But, haven’t found them yet here. Aren’t they so gorgeous! love the colors! 🙂
P.S: on another note, what if I am really really miserable with numbers?
This looks beautiful and so simple. That must be a theme this weekend. All of my food has been simple the past couple of days too. Maybe it’s those lazy days of summer.