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Appetites and Adventures

Seared Sea Scallops with Grapefruit & Pesto [Recipe]

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Grapefruit is one of my favorite accent flavors.

No, not just with vodka…

I’ve done a lot of breakfast recipes with grapefruit, but I decided to go savory with this one.

It may sound strange, but after seeing similar items on a few menus around town I decided to create a grapefruit and scallop dish.  And oh man, was it good!

Seared Sea Scallops with Grapefruit & Pesto - this light and healthy dish packs a TON of flavor in each bite!

All too often people think of grapefruit as a tart fruit.  I actually find them pleasantly sweet!  The trip to finding a good one it to give ’em a sniff.  Your nose won’t lead you astray; if it smells sweet, good chance the grapefruit ripe.

Don’t mind the stares from fellow grocery shoppers as you sniff.  They’re just jealous you have the secret.

Sectioning a grapefruit

Cutting around the peel to section the grapefruit is easier that you think, btw.

My favorite part about this recipe is that it came together as a group effort.  Vegas and I talked about using avocado in it, but they were rock solid at the grocery.  I asked the guy at the fish counter what he thought about other pairings and he suggested pesto.  Right on, fish dude.

The pesto was just the right rich-yet-savory add to make the salty scallops and the sweet red grapefruit POP.

Seared Scallops with Grapefruit & Pesto

This doesn’t event make into account the texture.  Those little juicy bits of grapefruit pulp popped with every bite.

Between that, the smooth pesto, and the buttery scallops… it was like a party in my mouth.

Sweet Scarletts box
Try Sweet Scarletts – the sweetest Texas red grapefruit – in this recipe.  Check out the Sweet Scarletts Facebook page for more from the reddest, sweetest, and best grapefruit you’ve ever tasted.

[Tweet “Sea Scallops with Grapefruit and Pesto – a healthy, flavorful dinner!”]

Try these seared sea scallops with grapefruit and pesto for a simple, flavorful health dinner!

Seared Sea Scallops with Grapefruit & Pesto

  • 1 red grapefruit
  • 3 T red onion, diced
  • 2 T packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 12 sea scallops (about 1 pound)
  • 2 T lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 T pesto

Using a very sharp paring knife, peel the grapefruits, carefully removing all of the bitter white pith. Carefully cut in between the membranes to release the grapefruit sections into a bowl. Be sure to cut over the bowl to catch all the grapefruit juice! Stir in parsley leaves and season with pepper.

Pat the sea scallops dry. Drizzle them with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, if desired.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until it is shimmering. Sear on one side over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized (~ 3 mins). Flip over and cook for another minute or so. Do not overcook!

Spoon the grapefruit segments onto small plates over lettuce.  Place the scallops around the salad. Drizzle with olive oil and pesto and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.

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***

Thanks for all the support over my NASCAR experience.  I’ve made sure to remind Vegas I’m the best wife ever. 😉

Are you a grapefruit fan?

What is our favorite sweet and savory combo?

Comments

  2. This is the second pesto dish I’ve seen this morning, and all this flavors and pictures are making me crave spring time food. The 70 degree weather doesn’t hurt either. Now if I only I could pair it with a vodka cocktail. 🙂

    • Soon. Very soon. Have I ever told you about the caprese martini i had once? Basil vodka and tomato water. Amazing.

  3. My thing about grapefruit is that it is either AWESOME or meh. I don’t really care for grapefruit juice, but I do love a really juice segment. I had one of my favorite salads (sharing sweet potato fries and chicken fingers with Alex, #balance) the other day, and it has avocado, kale, grapefruit, hearts of palm, and pine nuts, and it was just what I needed.

    • That’s why you have to smell them! It really works. I do it with oranges, apples, and melons too.

      Also, I want that salad.

    • Really? I have it in my head that I don’t like them as much, but it’s been years since I’ve had one. I’ll have to try it again!

  6. I love Texas red grapefruit! This definitely is an interesting combo! One of these days I will cook scallop successfully, probably just gotta learn the right way! I am down for sweet and savory whatever on a menu 🙂

    • I think my biggest problem in the past was overcooking them. Now that I’ve done it a few times I can just touch the top and tell… like with a steak.

  8. Wow, I don’t eat seafood but this looks wonderful! I love grapefruit in things aside from vodka too, haha! Unrelated: I love your nail color in that grapefruit peeling pic. 🙂

    • Thanks! Do you do tofu? I bet it would be really good with that in place of the scallop.

      Thank you. 🙂

    • Thanks! I think it would be really good with tofu too for a vegetarian sub. 🙂 I also used the vegan hemp seed pesto at WF and LOVED it.

  17. This sounds amazing. I just picked up a bag of grapefruits this morning and this would be delish to make for dinner one day this week.

  18. I’m a huge fan of grapefruits. We had a grapefruit tree growing up. My grandfather would fill numerous bags and take them home with him. He looked 50 when he was 80 and always said his secret was grapefruits, he had one every day and he swore it kept his skin tight. This recipe looks pretty awesome, I would never think to pair grapefruits with scallops.

  20. I recently had grapefruit in fish tacos and it was amazing! I would never have thought to use it. Another brilliant recipe! Plus, pesto is just fantastic so I would make this just for that.

    • I hadn’t either until like 2 years ago. They aren’t hard; the only thing is you have to make SURE you don’t overcook them. That’s when they get all nasty and chewy.

      P.S. Thanks. I read this out load to Vegas. 🙂

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