Scallops and chorizo

This amazing recipe is a result of trial and error that brought victory. I was watching Nigella Lawson make scallops on the television one day. She made this beautiful chorizo and scallops using cured chorizo sausage and small scallops. Her show and cookbook, Nigella Express, are both fantastic. She has a simplistic way of putting few ingredients together to make a wonderful meal.

This particular recipe came about as I was going to make her Scallops and Chorizo recipe, but couldn’t find the correct ingredients. It is quite frustrating because cured chorizo sausage is very hard to find locally. Most of the grocers around me sell ground chorizo, but not in cured sausage form. With this limitation, I still picked up the ground chorizo and was willing to experiment. The ground, versus the sausage form, creates a sauce that just couldn’t be achieved with the pre-cooked sausage. With the lemon juice, the chorizo juices, and freshness of the fresh parsley, this recipe was beyond what we imagined. A good baguette is necessary because you will want to soak up all the juices left on the plate.

ingredients:

4-6 ounces ground chorizo

1 lb scallops, we like the large ones

juice of 1/2 a lemon (quarter the other half for serving)

1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped

directions:

Heat a large saute or sauce pan on medium-high heat. Add the chorizo. There is no oil necessary as they will release their own oils. Cook the chorizo for 3-5 minutes or until it is fully cooked. The chorizo will begin to brown slightly and take on a deeper color. Transfer the chorizo to a plate and set aside. Do not clean out the pan. Using the chorizo oil, saute the scallops in the same pan for about a minute or two on each side.

Return the chorizo to the pan with scallops. Add the juice of 1/2 the lemon and let bubble for a few seconds so the flavors combine. Then, arrange the scallops, chorizo, and all the cooking liquids on a serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with the lemon wedges. A good squeeze of the fresh lemon finishes it off perfectly.

Bon appetit!

Recipe adapted from: Nigella Lawson,Scallops and Chorizo