Tangy Jalapeno Scallops Make an Easy Gourmet Appetizer

I’ve been a huge fan of seafood ever since I was a child, and that’s something I don’t ever see changing. From tender crab to meaty shrimp and succulent salmon to hearty cod, if it’s from the ocean then I love it. But in today’s world, making sure that the seafood we eat is sustainable is more important than ever before. Luckily, I have an easy way to do just that thanks to the Marine Stewardship Council!

As much as I wished I could find sustainable seafood choices previously, I had a hard time knowing whether fish was sustainably sourced or not. Now, the MSC ecolabel lets me know at a glance that the fish I’m buying has been certified for coming from a well-managed and sustainable fishery. With a gift card in hand to create my dish, I headed to my local Real Canadian Superstore to grab ingredients for a delicious and eco-friendly Tangy Jalapeno Scallops appetizer!

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Tangy Jalapeno Scallops

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Pan-seared scallops served with sweet oranges and a tangy jalapeno sauce.

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Ingredients

• 20 MSC-certified large scallops
• 2 navel oranges
• 1 large jalapeno
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp. butter
• fresh cilantro, to serve

Instructions

1. Cut jalapeno in half and remove seeds and membrane. Combine jalapeno, vinegar, olive oil and mustard powder in blender or food processor until liquefied.
2. Peel oranges and cut into individual segments. Arrange on four plates.
3. Melt butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper.
4. Fry scallops in saucepan for about five minutes, flipping once during cooking, until done.
5. Place five scallops on each plate and drizzle with jalapeno sauce. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Finding MSC-certified scallops in my store was no problem at all; I was absolutely blown away by how many sustainable seafood choices were offered. In fact, thanks to encouragement and support from the World Wildlife Fund, 93% of the seafood sold by Loblaws stores is from MSC or other certified sustainable sources! I grabbed the handful of other tasty ingredients I would need to create my dish and headed home to start cooking.

The jalapeno sauce is the highlight of this dish, and I kicked it up a bit by using my favourite Chardonnay vinegar instead of regular white wine vinegar. It gave the sauce a bit of extra complexity it wouldn’t have had otherwise, and the spicy sour drizzle was the perfect compliment to the sweetness of the scallops and orange slices.

Occasionally, I make this dish into a salad instead of an appetizer by tossing the jalapeno sauce with baby spinach and orange slices, then layering the scallops on top. While it is a heartier choice, I personally prefer the scallops simply as a tasty and elegant appetizer.

Best of all, I can serve these decadent morsels knowing that I’m helping ensure the future health of our valuable oceans. And when shopping sustainably is so easy, there’s no reason not to stock the freezer with fish boasting the MSC ecolabel. Thanks to organizations that support the Marine Stewardship Council, including Loblaws and WWF, future generations will be able to enjoy the same delicious seafood I do from oceans that are thriving!