Seared Scallops with Peruvian Parsley Salsa

Seared Scallops with Peruvian Parsley Salsa
Salsa from: Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference

Hands-on time: 5 minutes
Marinating time for salsa: 30 minutes
Cooking time: less than 5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
Salsa:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano leaves (½ tsp dried if you can’t find any fresh)
Red wine vinegar, just enough to cover the onion & oregano in a small bowl)
3 handfuls of fresh parsley leaves
1 tomato
Salt & pepper to taste

1 lb/500 g sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1 tsp or so good olive oil
Arugula leaves (just for yourself as to how much you like per person. Note: some people find this very strong and woodsy, so you might want to do half arugula, half baby spinach leaves)

Directions:
Salsa:
1. Place the chopped onion and the oregano in a small bowl and pour red wine vinegar over the mixture, just enough to cover. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so and then drain off the vinegar. Chop the parsley leaves to a paste in a food processor. Add to the drained onion/oregano mix.

2. The book calls for peeling and grating the tomato into the salsa, or chop fine. I cheated and added coarsely chopped tomato (with the peel) to the pureed parsley and pulsed a couple of times, then adding it all to the onions & oregano. Taste for seasoning and set aside while you cook the scallops.
Scallops:
In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, add the olive oil and once the pan is quite hot, add the scallops so they do not overlap or touch each other. Giving them space will help them sear and get a little golden on each side. Flip after 2-3 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops, and cook for another minute or two. They don’t take very long and if you overcook them, they just get rubbery.

Plating the finished dish:
Place a bed of arugula or arugula, spinach mix on a plate or platter. Place scallops on top and then generously spoon the salsa over the scallops. Toss and serve.