Easy and delicious pan-seared sea scallops with mushroom and veggie teriyaki noodles!
Ingredients
12large, fresh scallops
salt and black pepper
For Teriyaki Sauce:
1/4cuptamari or soy sauce
1/4cupwater
1/2teaspoonfish sauce
1teaspoonsesame seed oil
1/2teaspoonchili oil
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2tablespoonsfinely minced fresh ginger
3large garlic cloves, finely minced
For Mushroom Noodles:
1/2poundthin spaghetti
1small red bell pepper, sliced
1small onion, sliced
salt to taste
2cupsJapanese maitake mushrooms, or oyster mushrooms
2cupsshimeji mushrooms (or white mushrooms_
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2green scallions, diced
3tablespoonsfresh chopped cilantro
For Basil Oil (optional):
1cupavocado or olive oil
1large bunch, about 30 leaves, fresh basil
Instructions
First, prepare the ginger-garlic sauce. Place all ingredients needed into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for about 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Cover the sauce and set aside.
Next, prepare the noodles. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain, cover and keep warm. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium/high heat and add a splash of avocado oil. Add the sliced peppers and onion. Season lightly with salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar and sauté until golden brown. Remove from pan and place into a large bowl.
Into the same pan, add half of the mushrooms and a few tablespoons of the prepared ginger garlic sauce. Season lightly with salt, ½ tablespoon of sugar and sauté over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer these mushrooms into the same bowl as the peppers and repeat the process with remaining mushrooms. Cooking the mushrooms in portions prevents them from being braised in their own juices.
Next, add the prepared noodles to heated sauté pan and fry the noodles over high heat for just a few minutes, tossing frequently. Add the mushrooms and peppers back into the pan. Toss with the diced green onion and cilantro to combine, cover and keep warm.
Now, prepare the scallops. Remove the scallops from refrigerator and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Season the scallops lightly with salt and ground black pepper. Heat a new sauté pan over medium/high heat and add a tablespoon of avocado oil. Add scallops into hot pan, placing them around the edges in a circle for even cooking. Sear the scallops approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.
To assemble dish, place the mushroom noodles on one side of a plate and carefully arrange 3 to 4 scallops to the side. Spoon the prepared sauce over the scallops and noodles and add the a few drops of the optional basil oil, if desired.
For Optional Basil Oil: This is optional but it adds great flavor to any dish. Pour the oil into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat and cook until the oil reaches 250F. Add the basil leaves and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture into blender and pulse for 2 minutes until smooth. Strain the oil through sieve to remove any larger pieces. Pour prepared oil into dispenser bottle. This oil can be stored and used for other dishes, too.