This Blood Orange Scallop Salad offers you a beautiful combination of flavours and textures. It also looks elegant and perfect for a special occasion.
Daisy – Star of the Day
Hello everyone! I hope you’re doing well.
It’s the Valentine’s Day weekend. Indeed, it’s an extended weekend here in Nova Scotia as we have a statutory holiday on Monday. There’s no connection with Valentine’s though, just to clarify.
While I haven’t prepared anything special this year, this Blood Orange Scallop Salad fits the bill. Isn’t it gorgeous? Also, it’s a big day for Daisy. I have featured her often, but particularly today she’s the star. I mean, more Daisy’s photos than the salad itself. By the way, next week (February 18th) Daisy will turn one year. WHAT?
In case you’re wondering, Daisy loves scallops. She’s also fond of shrimp, lobster, trout, smoked salmon, bacon, and prosciutto. We all can relate, right? I will be updating some old recipes with the photo-evidence.
Blood Orange Scallop Salad
let’s talk about this recipe for a moment. As I said, it offers lots of textures and flavours:
- Seared scallops,
- Sautéed fennel. I had always used raw fennel until this recipe, but from now on I am going to sauté it more often – so delicious!
- Succulent blood oranges, but any oranges will do,
- Peppery arugula to balance all that sweetness,
- Salted pistachios.
Besides, it features warm elements like scallops and fennel. Isn’t something we all need in a winter salad?
So luscious, so gorgeous, so pretty. It will certainly be a good choice for a very special occasion (or on any other day). Also, if you missed this Blood Orange Prosciutto Salad, please check it out too.
I hope you like this Blood Orange Scallop Salad, and you will give it a try. Approved by Daisy, after all.
Cheers!
Blood Orange Scallop Salad
Course: Salads2
(As Main Course)10
minutes15
minutesThis Blood Orange Scallop Salad offers you a beautiful combination of flavours and textures, and it also looks elegant and suitable for a special occasion.
Ingredients
- Pan-Seared Scallops:
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
10-14 scallops depending on their size (5 to 7 per serving); thawed if frozen
a pinch of salt and pepper
- Sautéed Fennel:
1/2 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil
a pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. dried herbs like Italian seasonings
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
a pinch of chipotle powder
- Blood Orange Scallop Salad:
2-3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced – juices collected
2 generous handfuls of arugula
2 tbsp. salted pistachios, roughly chopped
Directions
- Sautéed Fennel:
- Heat the olive oil in a pan, Add the shredded fennel and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes at medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low medium, add the seasonings and cook for about 5 minutes or until the desired caramelization. It won’t be really caramelized, but you can also add a little (1 tsp) of honey or maple syrup and let it cook 2-3 minutes. Keep the fennel warm until ready to assemble.
- Pan-Seared Scallops:
- Using some paper towel, dry out the scallops. Season with the salt and pepper.
- In a separate pan, melt the butter and olive oil, over high medium heat. Once the fats hot, add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for about 1,5 to 2 minutes, then flip and sear from another side. Transfer to the paper towel to remove some excessive oil.
- Blood Orange Scallop Salad:
- Simply combine the blood oranges (don’t forget to collect the juices and add them – that will be the dressing), arugula, and warm fennel. Divide between plates, sprinkle with the pistachios, and arrange the warm scallops on top. Enjoy right away!
Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
It’s been a while since I’ve had scallops, and it’s usually as an appetizer or in a soup. So serving them up in this salad is just calling my name! Also, I need to add more fennel to my salads!
What a beautiful salad, Ben — now I’m really craving some fresh fennel. And Daisy is so adorable!
I’m loving blood oranges these days, Ben! And those scallops look fantastic. You always make me want to use some unique ingredients. I have never cooked with fennel! I don’t know why…that needs to change!
Ben, this salad looks gorgeous and sounds amazing! I love scallops, but don’t cook them often enough! And with blood oranges and fennel? Sounds super-delish! Glad Daisy enjoys a good scallop, too, she’s a lucky kitty!
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I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s day and you are enjoying your holiday today! This salad is absolutely GORGEOUS, Ben!! I have a serious love for scallops, and you know I love a good salad, so this combination is like a match made in heaven! This beauty is going on my ‘must make’ list immediately!!!
P.S Daisy makes a very cute model! I hope she has a fabulous 1st birthday! ;)
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This really is a gorgeous salad of mouthwatering flavors, Ben! I can’t believe that Daisy is going to be a year old!! She’s such an adorable kitty – some of the photos of her look like paintings!
Wow Ben – you are spot on – this Blood Orange Scallop Salad is GORGEOUS indeed! So many gorgeous colors and textures – a feast for so many senses! I haven’t ever roasted or sauteed fennel and now I cannot wait to try sauteing some – what a unique addition to this glorious combo!
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Lucky Daisy getting allowed to eat scallops! Our cat (Begbie) sits on our dinner table and if there’s anything on our dinner plates he fancies (mostly fish or chicken) he tries to steal a bit from our plates. I definitely would not be happy him stealing a peice of my blood orange scallop salad though, it looks too delicious for him! Besides scallops aren’t exactly cheap are they?
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I do have some bloody oranges in my fridge and all I need is fennel and scallops. Your salad looks very elegant and lovely. So as your cat
I have to admit that I’ve only cooked with fennel a couple of times. I’m curious about using it raw in salads now – or as you note in this post to sauté it. Sounds like a fun way to mix up the usual salad. I’m heading to the store today, so I should put fennel on the list. And happy (almost) birthday to Daisy – you should bake her a cake! :-)
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