Lemongrass Rice With Pan Seared Scallops Recipe

This recipe is a great way to liven up brown rice with bright lemongrass and a unique combo of veggies. Scallops are a great source of omega-3’s and vitamin B12, both great for cardiovascular health and therefore any triathlete. If cooking scallops is foreign to you, this step-by-step recipe will demonstrate a quick and easy cooking method.

Ingredients

Makes 4-5 servings

Rice
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 large yam or sweet potato, peeled and finely diced
1 ear corn, kernels removed
2 cups broccoli florets, finely chopped
2 cups shitake mushrooms, or similar, sliced
2 packets dried lemongrass soup mix, or 1 cup lemongrass soup*
Juice of 2 large limes
¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Scallops
16 jumbo sea scallops
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

*Preparing lemongrass from raw form is quite time consuming. Look for these ingredients in the Asian foods section of your grocery store. The dried mix will normally come with a packet of noodles, or the soup will normally be labeled Tom-Yum (strain out the broth).

RELATED: Easy Ways To Prepare Fresh Fish

Preparation

Rice
1. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large sauté pan. Add the yam and broccoli and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring consistently until the veggies start to soften.
2. Add the corn and mushrooms and sauté another 3-5 minutes, stirring consistently until the mushrooms start to brown.
3. Toss in the dried soup mix or soup broth, ginger, lime juice, salt and pepper. Combine these ingredients with the veggies and let cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the rice and toss until the veggies are mixed in and the rice has warmed through. Turn the heat off, cover and let rest while cooking the scallops.
5. Toss the fresh cilantro into the rice before serving.

Scallops**
1. Recommended to purchase scallops from a seafood market and splurge on a nice product, as it will make a big difference in taste. Ask the seafood counter to pick out large, uniform scallops.
2. When searing scallops, it’s key to remove as much moisture/water from them as possible. Line a large plate with two paper towels. Place the scallops on the paper towels and cover with another paper towel. Let rest for 2 minutes, and then gently press the top of the scallops with the paper towels to remove any moisture.
3. In two large sauté pans, place ½ tablespoon olive oil, each (or this may be done in batches in one sauté pan). Gently rub the oil into the pan surface with a paper towel.
4. Make sure the pan is really hot, you should hear the sizzle of the scallops when you place them in the pan. Place 8 scallops in each pan (don’t crowd the pan or the scallops won’t sear). Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the top of the scallops.
5. Let the scallops sear for 2 minutes on the first side, until a golden brown crust forms. Using thongs, turn the scallops over and cook another 90 seconds to 2 minutes on the second side. Cooking time depends on the size of the scallops.
6. The scallops can be underdone slightly when removing from the pan, as they will continue to cook through. Try not to overcook, or they will be rubbery. Remove the scallops and place on a plate and tent with foil, let sit for one minute (while plating the rice). Serve the scallops over the top of the rice.

**If you’ve never cooked scallops, buy and extra scallop to use as a tester. After turning the scallops, cut this one in half after 90 seconds to determine the cooking time for the rest of the scallops.

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The 2014 Events DC Nation’s Triathlon is set for Sept. 7, 2014. Learn about the all-new sprint race and relay options at Nationstri.com.