::seafood:fare::

I remember the first time that I tried scallops - I was a little apprehensive at first. They just looked like a gelatinous blob...I found a recipe in one of Tyler Florence's cookbooks for a bacon-wrapped scallop. I decided to give it a shot and I am glad I did. It definitely was delicious and I could add another great recipe to my repertoire.

I love the fact that when you cook scallops with certain ingredients it takes on whatever taste you cook it with. So the bacon-wrapped recipe tasted entirely of bacon.

The only thing better then scallops that I have discovered are the little mini bay-scallops. I adore them! And they are so cute and little! I haven't had the chance to cook with them yet but I have had them in restaurants and I love the subtle meaty seafood texture it adds to meals - and once again, how it's infused with whatever ingredient you cook it with.

Now - I think I first might try these little mini scallops in a pasta of some sort but I did spot this recipe on the Martha Stewart site and it's definitely in my list of recipes to try out - and soon! You can also vary the cooking method to make it more healthy. Subbing for multigrain buns or baking the scallops. It all depends on what you want.

 So here is the recipe...enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Bay-Scallop Po'Boy with Spicy Mayo

Prepare this New Orleans-style classic with record-breaking speed: Scallops are naturally moist, so you can skip the usual egg in the breading.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving

3/4 teaspoon paprika

Hot sauce, to taste

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 pound bay scallops, patted dry

1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower

4 hot dog buns

4 lettuce leaves

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, teaspoon paprika, and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Set spicy mayo aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, flour, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper. Add scallops, and toss to coat.

3. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in two batches, fry scallops, tossing occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.

4. Dividing evenly, spread inside of buns with spicy mayo. Top with lettuce leaf, then scallops. Serve po boys immediately, with lemon wedges.

I seriously love seafood on buns and whatnot. Like fish sandwiches and whatnot so I am excited to try this out. Looks a bit messy but the mayo dressing sounds amazing; especially since I adore spicy food.

Give this a try - let me know what you think. :)

-S.*