Grilled Scallops with Blistered Green Beans

I'm having a love affair with scallops this summer — ever since I realized how well they hold up on the grill.

This main dish is easy to prep and super simple to cook.

The husband and I really enjoy these scallops, and so does my youngest, Sam. Add a beer for the grown ups and it's the perfect summer meal.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grilled Scallops

2 pounds large (sea) scallops, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, lime juice or some of both
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Italian (flat leaf) parsley

Thaw scallops if frozen. Pat dry and place in medium bowl.

Mix together oil, lemon and/or lime juice, salt and pepper and cilantro or parsley. Pour over scallops and gently stir to coat all of the scallops. Let sit in refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat your grill to medium high heat. Spray a grill grate with cooking spray.

Place scallops on grill and cook for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn scallops and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from grill and plate these babies up with some green beans.

Blistered Green Beans

1 pound or 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

Toss green beans with oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a 9 x 13 metal or foil pan. (I use an old jelly roll pan.)

Cook on grill for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Continue cooking until green beans are lightly browned and blistered on at least one side. Drain off oil before serving.

Grilled Corn Salsa

The sweet corn is at the market and it tastes so good cooked on the grill.

Erin's Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad and Amy's Chili Lime Corn Salad are delicious ways to make the most of summer produce. This salsa is how we do corn at my house, when we aren't eating it straight from the cob.

I always cook a few extra ears when I make grilled corn in case someone wants seconds — and so I have enough leftover to whip up this side dish.

The combination of lime juice and fresh corn is a taste I just can't get enough of. Yellow or red bell peppers add some crunch, but since my husband is not a huge pepper fan, I usually leave them out.

We like to eat this salsa with chips or pair it with tacos, grilled meat or fish.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grilled Corn Salsa

3 ears of grilled corn on the cob
1 pint yellow and red grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lime zest for garnish
Optional: 1 bell pepper, any color, diced

After the ears of corn are cool enough to handle, slice kernels off the cob and place in medium bowl. Hint: Use a bundt pan (shown below) to catch the kernels as you slice them off the cob.

Add tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, bell pepper if using, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle with lime zest.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes or more. A little chilling lets the flavors combine and really boosts the taste of this salsa.