Pinterest has created a monster . . . in the kitchen.

It has taken me awhile, but I am now officially in love with Pinterest. It reeled me in with its party ideas and crafts, but it’s now the recipes that hold me captive to this online drug.  I’ve tried a few recipes, all of them turning out well. But more exciting than the new recipes to add to my cookbook binder is the gutsiness Pinterest has given me to create my own dishes. Last night I came home and decided to make an entrée using only ingredients I had on hand.  And so I came up with what I’ll call  Repin Scallops (in honor of Pinterest).

In a bowl, combine (and to be honest didn’t measure but just eyeballed everything and then kept tasting): lemon juice, brown sugar, a little canola oil, and a dash of powdered red pepper.  Whisk together, making sure to break up any clumped brown sugar. Put aside.

Slice scallions into small pieces. Put aside.

I used about 6 jumbo scallops. I sprayed a skillet with Pam and on medium heat steamed the scallops until cooked through. I steamed by placing a glass-topped lid over them (a great way to see how they’re cooking). The steaming part probably wasn't necessary, as you'll see that I wind up browning them. But this step ensured that they were cooked all the way through, and honestly, it didn't take away the flavor of the scallops at all.

Once the scallops were cooked, I carefully removed them from the skillet and wiped the skillet dry, placing it back on the burner and putting the temp up to high. I placed the scallops into the bowl with the liquid mixture, coating them completely. Then put them into the skillet, pouring the remaining liquid over them.

The secret to cooking scallops on the stovetop is to not move them much, allowing them to brown before turning them. I did scrape the excess liquid from the pan as it began to caramelize, putting it atop the scallops so as not to waste any goodness.  As the browning finished, I added in the scallions, cooking ‘til they were just a bit wilted.

Served the beautiful scallops and scallions, lightly sprinkled with sea salt, over a bed of white buttered rice, accompanied by baby asparagus. The combination of  hot from the pepper, tang from the lemon, and sweetness of the brown sugar, along with the salt was wonderful.

I didn’t photograph it but plan on making the dish again tomorrow (have more scallops leftover) and will shoot its loveliness.

Bon appétit!