If you love scallops, I'm certain you will love this dish! Every time I make it you will hear sounds like "Mmmmm!" "Oh, Wow!" "Yummm!" around my table, (me included).
Believe me, it isn't any skill on my part, it's very simple to make, it's just that the flavors go so well together. You have the intense concentration of the tomatoes which have been roasted, balanced with the sweet and slightly smoky flavor of the grilled scallops, added with it all, are those thin french beans that still have a little bite to them, I'm telling you, it's a match made in heaven!
The other great thing about this dish is the fact that the tomatoes and beans can be done ahead of time, even the day before. Scallops take no time at all, so I actually recommend you doing that, this way when the scallops are done, everything comes together so quickly.
Roasting the Tomatoes:You must use those little tomatoes on the vine! I used the Campari ones from Costco, but you can get them almost any where. They have such terrific flavor already, and when you roast them they get even better. Take a foil or parchment lined baking sheet, cut each tomato in half, over a bowl lightly squeeze a little of the juice out, place cut side up , drizzle with olive oil, s&p, and crushed garlic. Roast in a hot 400 degree oven till they shrivel up and have a deep red color with still a little moisture.
Forgive me, I'm not sure how long it takes, I know its less than an hour and more than 20 min's.
Again it depends how much moisture is inside, just keep checking. Let them cool, and gently lift them off with a spatula and pack them into a container till ready to use.
Scallops:
Good quality scallops, big ones, that are dry, you don't want to put a wet scallop on the grill it just won't sear right. So place them between paper towels to get any moisture out. Toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook them on a very hot grill and don't flip them till you get some good grill marks. I can't tell you exactly how long they take, it depends on how thick they are.
But don't over cook them OK!
French Beans:
Cook till crisp tender, rinse in cold water, put them into a Ziploc bag till ready to use.
Now when you're ready to eat, take a large saute pan, cook some shallots and more garlic in olive oil till tender. Now take your roasted tomatoes, place them in the pan and heat then gently through, as well as the beans.
When scallops are done, just incorporate everything together! That's it!
Buon Appetito!!!
