Ingredients Seafood Grilled Scallops with Miso-Corn Salad 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews My adoration of sea scallops goes back as far as some of the first memories I have at my parents’ dinner table. In the ’70s and ’80s, my mother, a great home cook in her own right, used to make them in a creamy white wine sauce for dinner parties, calling them by their fancy French name (coquilles St. Jacques) and serving them in elaborate scallop shell plates that only came out of the cupboard for this one very special dish. They were, in my eyes, the height of sophistication.When I moved to New York as a young culinary-school student, I learned just how easy they were to cook and how delicious they could be simply seasoned with salt and pepper and seared over high heat in clarified butter. I would save up to buy half a pound at my local fishmonger and practice making them late at night for my roommate, tossing the barely cooked mollusks in angel hair pasta with burst cherry tomatoes and lots of fresh garlic, and setting off the fire alarm in our tiny kitchen in the process.What’s not to love about scallops? It’s hard to find fault in their naturally beautiful shape, pillowy texture, and distinctly sweet, mild flavor. They take well to an infinite array of preparations and cooking techniques, adapt to almost any cuisine, and (as any Top Chef contestant will tell you) can be cooked incredibly quickly or served raw, making them the ultimate blank canvas for everything from black truffles to black bean sauce, citrus to sambal. In summer, I cook them on the grill until just kissed by the flames and pile them on top of warmed veggies with a bright dressing. This version, a favorite for quick and easy backyard dinners, incorporates miso, ginger, and toasted sesame, adding a savory dimension to the salad and a rich contrast to the corn and scallops’ inherent sweetness.To achieve the best sear on your scallops, set them uncovered on a paper towel in the refrigerator for a few hours before grilling. By Gail Simmons Gail Simmons Instagram Gail Simmons is a trained culinary expert, food writer, and dynamic television personality. Since the show's inception in 2006, she has lent her expertise as a permanent judge on BRAVO's Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series Top Chef, now in its 19th successful season. She is a co-host of The Good Dish, the new daily syndicated series offering delicious recipes, real-life wisdom, and conversations on the topics of the day, and most recently was host of Top Chef Amateurs, as well as IronChef Canada. From 2004 to 2019, Gail served as the special projects director at Food & Wine. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 1, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients MISO VINAIGRETTE 2 tablespoons white miso 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon lime zest plus 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 lime) 1 teaspoon light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger (from 1 [1-inch] piece) 1 small jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped (optional) 3 tablespoons canola oil SALAD 3 medium ears fresh yellow corn, shucked 4 medium scallions 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 12 dry-packed U12 sea scallops (about 1 pound) 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup cooked and shelled fresh or frozen edamame 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes 2 tablespoons fresh small basil leaves or mint leaves, or a combination of both, torn, plus more for serving 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, divided Directions Make the miso vinaigrette Whisk together miso, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, lime zest and juice, brown sugar, ginger, and jalapeño, if using, in a small bowl until miso is dissolved. Whisk in canola oil in a slow, steady stream until well combined. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate up to 1 week. Make the salad Preheat a grill to high (450°F to 500°F), or heat a grill pan over high. Brush corn and scallions with 1 tablespoon canola oil, and place on grates (or grill pan). Grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until just tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for scallions and 10 minutes for corn. Remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, cut corn kernels off cobs, and roughly chop scallions into 1/2-inch pieces; set corn and scallions aside. Remove and discard the small side muscle from each scallop; rinse under cold running water, and pat dry. Thread 3 scallops on 2 parallel skewers, and repeat with remaining 9 scallops on 6 skewers. Brush scallops with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil, and season both sides with salt. Grill scallops, uncovered, until grill marks appear, about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Turn scallops, and grill until desired degree of doneness, about 30 seconds for medium (warm translucent center). Remove from grill, and set aside. Toss together corn, scallions, edamame, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add herbs, miso vinaigrette, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds; toss to combine. Divide salad among 4 shallow bowls. Top each with a skewer of scallops. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and additional herbs. Victor Protasio Suggested Pairing Lime-zesty Australian dry Riesling. Rate it Print