Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g kale, stems removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
Scallops
- 300 g sea scallops, adductor muscle removed
Lemon Dressing
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 402 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 16 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1326 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 36 mg
- Potassium
- 746 mg
- Calcium
- 295 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 71 mg
- Phosphorus
- 568 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 249 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 102 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 405 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 2.3 mg
- Folate
- 96 mcg
- Water
- 258 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl. Add 15ml of the extra virgin olive oil and a small pinch of salt.
Massage the kale leaves firmly with your hands for about 2 minutes. Continue until the leaves shrink noticeably in volume, soften, and turn a dark, glossy green.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining 30ml of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
Add the halved kalamata olives and thinly sliced red onion to the massaged kale. Pour the lemon dressing over the top and toss thoroughly to combine.
Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until it reaches approximately 200 C / 400 F.
Pat the sea scallops completely dry with paper towels. Lightly brush them with a minimal amount of cooking oil to prevent sticking, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
Place the scallops onto the hot grill. Sear them undisturbed for 2 minutes until a golden-brown crust forms and distinct grill marks appear.
Carefully flip the scallops using tongs. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the flesh is completely opaque and the internal temperature reaches 54 C / 130 F.
Divide the dressed kale salad evenly between two plates. Top immediately with the warm grilled scallops and serve right away.
Chef's Notes
- Massaging the kale is a non-negotiable technique for this salad. The mechanical action combined with salt and oil breaks down tough cellulose structures, transforming fibrous leaves into a tender, palatable salad base.
- Always remove the small, rectangular adductor muscle on the side of each sea scallop before cooking. This muscle is what attaches the scallop to its shell and becomes incredibly chewy and unpleasant when exposed to heat.
- For the absolute best sear, seek out dry sea scallops from your fishmonger rather than wet scallops. Wet scallops are treated with a sodium tripolyphosphate solution that causes them to retain excess water, meaning they will steam instead of browning on the grill.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately if possible; scallops are best consumed immediately as they do not reheat well.
Reheating: Best served fresh. Do not reheat scallops to avoid a rubbery texture.
Troubleshooting
Scallops stick heavily to the grill or pan
Cause: The grill was not preheated adequately, or the scallops retained too much surface moisture.
Fix: Wait an extra 30 seconds before attempting to flip. A properly formed crust will naturally release from the cooking surface. Do not force them.
Prevention: Ensure the cooking surface is smoking hot before adding scallops, and always pat the seafood completely dry with paper towels.
Kale is tough and difficult to chew
Cause: The kale was not massaged long enough, or tough stems were left intact.
Fix: Allow the dressed salad to sit at room temperature for an additional 15 minutes before eating to let the lemon juice tenderize the leaves further.
Prevention: Remove all thick middle ribs from the kale leaves and massage firmly with oil and salt until noticeably softened.
Cultural Context
While scallops have been harvested globally for millennia, the pairing of hearty, nutrient-dense greens like kale with lightly grilled seafood has become a defining staple of modern American coastal cuisine. This dish highlights a contemporary approach to wellness-focused eating, prioritizing fresh, high-quality ingredients and bright, robust flavor profiles without relying on heavy sauces.
