plated-scallops-with-sweet-chili-lime-butter-and-lime-wedges

Ingredients

1 organic lime
1 pound wild sea scallops
Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt
1 tablespoon minced shallot or green onion
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoons pasture butter
Sweet Chili Sauce:
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2- 1 teaspoon Chipotle chili powder
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup cane sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Margarita Himalayan Salt
1 tablespoon organic corn starch
2 tablespoons water

This is one of those recipes you will make again and again. Serve these scallops as an appetizer or entree. For the main course, serve 6 or 8 large scallops with some steamed vegetables or rice. Drizzle some sweet chili sauce on the veggies for extra flavor.

The sauce can be prepared weeks ahead of time and the sweet chili butter a day ahead. Then dinner can be served in less than 10 minutes and everyone will think you spent hours in the kitchen.

Another reason to make the sweet chili sauce is to control the amount of heat. My kids love scallops but would not like this recipe with too much spice so I only used 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder instead of real jalapeños or Serrano peppers. I love the smoky flavor of Chipotle and I know you are thinking I made more of a Mexican style sauce rather than Thai or Asian. You can go the authentic route if you wish. If you have chili powder flakes that can work too. 1/2 teaspoon for a little heat, 1 teaspoon for a lot.

The sauce mellows as it ages so if you are making the sauce ahead of time, you may want to add more pepper. It should keep for 1 month in the refrigerator. Use it for dumplings, egg rolls, vegetables, rice, or a glaze on top of fish.

Directions

1) Make the chili sauce by adding 3 garlic cloves in your blender, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/2 cup cane sugar, 3/4 cup spring water, 1/2 teaspoon Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder and blend well. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium to high heat. Then turn to low and simmer for 3 minutes until the garlic is soft. In a separate glass, mix 1 tablespoon of organic corn starch and 2 tablespoons of spring water and make a slurry. Add the slurry to the thin chili sauce. Stir and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes until thicker. It will still be runny and will thicken more as it cools. For more information on this sauce, go to She Simmers.

2) Place the 1 pound of Scallops on a plate a sprinkle Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt on top. I used 5 pinches. Let sit and come to room temperature.

3) Place 3 ounces of pasture butter in a bowl and bring to room temperature. Zest 1 lime, cut the lime into wedges and set aside, mince 1 tablespoon shallot or green onion. Add zest, shallot and 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce to the butter. Blend. Add Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt to taste. I used about 1/4 teaspoon. Note: the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of lime zest but I used 1 lime since the Margarita salt has lime zest.

4) Heat up your skillet on medium- high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of chili lime butter and melt. Add the scallops but do not crowd them. The heat from the skillet needs to come up the sides of the scallops. Sear for 2 minutes on each side.

5) Remove and place on a plate. Add a dollop of sweet chili butter on top of each scallop and squeeze the lime wedges over the top. The butter will melt and create a sauce. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Why You Want to Eat This!

Scallops are rich in protein, selenium, phosphorus, and vitamin B12 and a good source of zinc, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, copper, and calcium. The B-12, magnesium, potassium and Omega-3s have cardiovascular benefits and can help with Fatal Heart Arrhythmia. These vitamins can lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels and converting homocysteine to non damaging chemicals on the vessel walls. These vitamins can also help with osteoporosis and depression. read more
Limes are rich in Vitamin C to boost your immune system and improve your respiratory and digestive system. The antioxidants help fight cancer and reduce inflammation. The natural pectin can lower cholesterol. The zest can aid in DNA repair. Limes taste acidic but act as alkaline in the body to reduce acid in the body. They can also reduce stress and calm your body. The smell alone is refreshing.
Chipolte powder contains Vitamin C, A ,K, and B-6. Vitamin A improves eye health and skin conditions like acne. ”Vitamin K is essential for maintaining strong bones, and may help prevent osteoporosis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It also helps coagulate blood, which helps prevent wound infection and speeds the healing of cuts, scrapes and surgical wounds.” (read more on Livestrong) Vitamin B-6 helps your body convert fat to energy and aids in digestion.
Garlic is a natural anti-inflammatory.