Scallops Grapefruit & Fried Rice
Submitted by poogie-oogie
Seared bay scallops in a reduced grapefruit-butter sauce, plated in the center of a vegetable fried rice ring with snow peas and red pepper. Restaurant-style citrus-seafood dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis is what happens when fried rice goes plating-school. A ring of soy-tossed fried rice with snow peas, corn, and red pepper holds a center of pan-seared bay scallops in a reduced grapefruit-butter sauce. The presentation alone elevates this from weeknight stir-fry to dinner-party main.
The rice has to be cold. Day-old rice (or rice chilled at least 6 hours) has lost the surface moisture that makes fresh rice clump and steam in the wok. Cold rice fries up separate and slightly crisp, which is why every Chinese restaurant insists on it.
The scallops technique is dead simple but unforgiving. Hot pan, no stirring for 2 minutes to develop a proper sear, then a quick deglaze with grapefruit juice and a butter mount. Stir too much and you steam the scallops grey instead of golden. Cook too long and they go from sweet and tender to bouncy and dry.
Chef Tips
- Pat the scallops bone-dry with paper towels before searing. Wet scallops won’t sear, they’ll steam in their own released water.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Two pounds of scallops in one batch drops the pan temperature and you’ll never get a sear. Cook in two batches if needed.
- Whisk in cold butter off the heat. Hot butter breaks the emulsion and you get oily sauce instead of glossy.
- Use pink or ruby red grapefruit juice for sweeter, less aggressive acidity than white grapefruit.
Variations
- Substitute large sea scallops for bay scallops, but extend the sear to 3 minutes per side.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced ginger to the rice along with the vegetables for extra warmth.
- Use shrimp or chunks of firm white fish if scallops are out of budget.
Ingredients
Directions
COOK THE RICE IN THE normal way and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
Toss the rice with the soy sauce and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or fry pan.
Add the onions and cook 1 minute.
Add corn and peppers and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes.
Add the snow peas and cook 30 seconds.
Add rice and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Mix in the sesame oil and arrange the rice in a ring on a serving platter.
Keep warm in a 250 degrees F oven while cooking the scallops.
Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a large non-reactive skillet over high heat until almost smoking.
Add the scallops and cook about 2 minutes without stirring.
Using a wooden spoon, stir to unstick any scallops that have adhered to the bottom of the skillet.
Add the grapefruit juice.
Cook about 30 seconds, then remove the scallops, using a slotted spoon, and reserve on a plate.
Reduce heat to medium and boil the grapefruit juice until reduced by half and it starts to thicken, about 5 minutes.
Replace the scallops and any juices that have collected on the plate.
Cook another 30 seconds, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
Remove the rice from the oven, pour scallops and sauce into the center of the rice ring and serve immediately.
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