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Grilled Scallops with Mexican Corn Salad

Average Rating

 From 8 ratings.

User Reviews

rating elishock
Tasty and unusual!  Great with the suggested scallops, but also good with grilled ribs, steaks, and chicken! 
rating karenf
Just okay.  The corn salad was just odd. The cheese slightly melted when I added the corn so the concsistency was more mushy than like the picture.
rating CD3M-CLARK
I have made this receipe at least 5 different times since first reading about it.  It is the most talked about dish I have served in this summer season of entertaining.  I have made variations which used shrimp instead of the scallops, tried different cheeses, and added red and orange bell peppers with the corn.  The diferent combinations are endless.  It will always be one of my 'go to' receipes when entertaining!

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Grilled Scallops with Mexican Corn Salad

TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
SERVES: 4
Pairing Note In this spicy salad, plump grilled scallops sit on top of charred corn tossed with the ingredients in elote, an irresistible Mexican corn-on-the-cob street snack. Faced with the spiciness here, Sam Calagione chose the refreshing Allagash White, a low-alcohol wheat beer that won’t make the chile’s heat taste harsh (“alcohol can have that effect,” he said). Marnie Old zoomed in on the salad’s smoky nuances and selected the moderately oaky 2006 Alma Rosa Chardonnay, from California. She likes to pair oaky wines with grilled foods because, she says, “oak gives wine the same kinds of smoky flavors that grilling gives food.”
ingredients
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced red onion
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 8 small ears of corn, husked
  • Vegetable oil, for brushing
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon pure ancho chile powder
  • 4 ounces cotija or ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (1 1/4 cups)
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Hot sauce
  • 12 large sea scallops
  • Lime wedges, for serving
directions
  1. Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the garlic and onion with the lime juice and let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Brush the corn with oil and grill over moderate heat until charred and just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and cut the kernels off the cobs.
  3. Whisk the mayonnaise and chile powder into the garlic, onion and lime juice. Add the cheese and corn to the bowl and toss. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
  4. Brush the scallops with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat until nicely browned and barely cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Spoon the corn salad onto 4 plates and top with the scallops. Serve with lime wedges.
WINE A moderately oaky Chardonnay, like the 2006 Alma Rosa. Or, a low alcohol wheat beer: Allagash White.

Recipe by Nick Fauchald
From Pairing of the Day: June 2008, Beer vs. Wine
This recipe originally appeared in June, 2008.