Hot Scallop Salad with Potato Chips
Submitted by laurellee
Hot scallop salad with seared sea scallops, fresh ginger, lime juice, and marjoram served over greens with thick-sliced potato chips mixed in. A warm-cool salad with crunch and elegance.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minPotato chips in a fine dining salad sounds like a prank, but it works brilliantly here. Thick-sliced chips get mounded alongside seared scallops and dressed greens, then everything gets tossed together at the table so the chips soften slightly from the warm dressing while keeping their crunch at the center. The contrast of hot scallops, crisp chips, and cool greens makes this salad genuinely exciting to eat.
The scallops get sliced crosswise into thin rounds, then seared in batches in a hot pan with fresh ginger until just golden and no longer translucent in the center. Cooking in batches is essential here. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and you end up steaming the scallops instead of searing them.
The hot dressing builds from the scallop juices left in the pan: lime juice, fresh marjoram, sugar, pepper, and sliced scallions get stirred into the hot drippings. Poured immediately over the greens, the hot dressing wilts them just enough to absorb the flavor without losing their structure.
Chef Tips
- Pat the scallops very dry before searing. Wet scallops steam and won’t develop a golden crust
- Cook in two batches with space between each slice. This keeps the pan hot enough to sear
- Pour the hot dressing over the greens immediately. The heat is what wilts them and melds the flavors
- Present the salad with the three components separate, then toss at the table for the best visual impact
Variations
- Use shrimp instead of scallops for a more affordable version
- Add thinly sliced radishes or avocado for additional texture and color
- Swap potato chips for wonton crisps for an Asian-inspired take
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse scallops well, pat dry, and cut crosswise about ¼ inch thick.
To a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil and ginger.
When hot, add ½ the scallops; turn often with a wide spatula until scallops are tinged with gold and no longer translucent in center (cut to test), about 4 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to a small bowl. Cook remaining scallops; add to bowl.
Drain juices from scallops back into frying pan; bring to a boil; then remove from heat.
Stir in lime juice, marjoram, sugar, pepper, and onion.
- Put leaves in a wide, shallow bowl. At once, pour hot dressing over them; mix, then push leaves to 1 side of the bowl.
Mound scallops and potato chips separately beside leaves.
Present salad, then mix.
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