Blackened Diver Sea Scallops and Pomegranate

My new favorite dinner is diver sea scallops and pomegranate. Blackened scallops seared in a pomegranate molasses reduction served with a fresh and quick mango, avocado, pomegranate salad is best described as when summer and fall meet. This 10-minute dinner is beautiful to look at and even more spectacular to eat. A super simple meal to put together, the ingredients may take a little effort to find. Coated with fresh ground pepper and pan-seared in extra-virgin olive oil, the scallops are finished in a pomegranate molasses reduction. Sweet and spicy flavors creates a perfect balance.

Diver Sea Scallops

Diver sea scallops are large sea scallops harvested by a single person who dives in scuba gear for the scallops. Usually perfectly round, diver sea scallops are less likely to have damage from harvesting. Only 1 percent of sea scallops are diver sea scallops, so it is not essential to have diver sea scallops. Sea Scallops can be an easy substitute. But you can bet that if I am lucky enough to have diver sea scallop (usually provided by my friend Vickie from Vickie’s Mobile Seafood). I am going to make something very special with them. Blackened Diver Sea Scallops with Pomegranate is diver sea scallop worthy.

A Pop of Pomegranate

I know I am fresh off my fig mania, but guess what? Pomegranate season has started. I hope you can bare with me as I get through this next exciting phase.

My first memory of a pomegranate was pulling it out of my stocking on Christmas morning. Come to think of it, maybe this is where my obsession for seasonal fruit was born. My mother always gave me and my brothers special fruit as little gifts. I remember the pomegranate specifically because I also received a deluxe edition of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women that same Christmas. I remember Amy, the youngest, being thrilled to have received an orange as a gift. An orange is very unusual in the 1860s for a poor family to have access to in the middle of a harsh Massachusetts winter.

Reading this novel may have caused me to savor my pomegranate a bit more. I also traded my brother Phillip his pomegranate in exchange for some of my candy. Too bad I got into trouble when I shared my pomegranate at school, and the boys in my 5th grade class started spitting the seeds at each other across the classroom. Even though I was laughing, it was not my fault! But I digress!

Today, I love pomegranates. Tart like a cranberry, after the explosion of tartness there is an underlying sweetness not usually found in cranberries. Pomegranates are a home-chefs dream the beautiful scarlet arils add a lovely color to the plate. Last night I did not feel like making dinner, so I pulled together a quick salad, with goat cheese and pomegranate and we were happy.

Ingredients Make a Difference

One thing I have learned since being on the Mediterranean Diet, take pleasure in food. Take pleasure in obtaining fresh and interesting ingredients. Prepare them in a way that makes your taste buds soar. My Blacked Diver Sea Scallops and Pomegranate dinner takes only 10-minutes to prepare. The mango, avocado and pomegranate salad literally makes this dish lift right off the plate in freshness.

Who knew that being on a diet could remind me of how good food can be? Why we are blogging about the Mediterranean Diet.