Great food makes for great bribery. With the promise of a fabulous feast, we invited ourselves over to good friends for the weekend. They have a gorgeous home overlooking the California coast. Hey, what are friends for? The star of the dinner – Grilled Scallops with Prosciutto.
Grilled Scallops with Prosciutto
We’ve known Dave and Amy for many years and have been privileged to stay at their beautiful home in Ventura, California on multiple occasions. Whenever we visit, we threaten to move in and not leave. Seriously. A custom-built house from your dreams. It’s warm and comfortable with beautiful views of the blue Pacific coastline, subterranean wine cellar (oh puleeeeze), and of course, a fantastic gourmet kitchen with stone counters, a Sub-Zero fridge and a big Wolf range. What’s not to love?
The Joy of Cooking Together
Cooking by itself is so much fun, but cooking with friends, for friends, multiplies the fun. The plan for the weekend was to hit the farmers market for fresh ingredients, cook together, enjoy what we made, drink some wine, and soak in the fresh ocean air and views from the third floor deck of their home. Sounded like a perfect weekend to us.
When family and friends found out what we were up to, our quiet dinner for four quickly morphed into a party for nine. Ha! The more the merrier.
Menu Planning
When planning a party menu, I start with the main course and build around it. For this dinner,we planned grilled scallops with Prosciutto because our hostess loved scallops. We picked up beautiful jumbo sized ones at the farmers market.
For an easy gourmet touch, we wrapped the scallops in paper thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, skewered them, drizzled with olive oil, and grilled.
How to Make Scallop Skewers
For the Prosciutto, we used a brand called Citterio. We picked it up at Trader Joes. It’s widely available in the US (even Costco). Good quality at a good price.
Slice the Prosciutto in half lengthwise (or thirds if your scallops are smaller) and wrap each scallop with a piece, ends overlapping, then skewer. Double pronged 9″ bamboo skewers provide stability.
Dressed for Success
Dressed for SuccessTo dress the grilled scallops, we made a light and creamy mango-citrus sauce. It’s the same sauce I used for the lobster salad a few weeks ago. Combine fresh citrus juices, add chopped shallots, diced mango, oil, and a little honey then puree it all in a blender. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. I couldn’t wait until Amy tasted it. Loved her reaction! You’ve got to make it.
The Rest of the Menu
With the main course nailed, we picked up what looked best at the farmers market. Nice plump artichokes looked great and everyone loves them.
Steam trimmed artichokes in a big pot, cool, split in half top to bottom, remove the fuzzy choke, drizzle with oil and grill to finish.
With heirloom tomatoes at their summer peak, we added refreshing heirloom tomato gazpacho to the menu. A chilled soup bursting with fresh flavor, gazpacho is like eating a garden. Make a batch and eat it over the course of a week. You can save leftover vegetables in your Sub-Zero fridge to keep fresh for when you are ready to make your next batch of gazpacho.
A tip on gazpacho. Many people are not familiar with chilled soups. They might even tell you they don’t like them, even if they have never tried them. So make it and serve it in small cups, bowls or martini glasses, and watch people change their mind.
To round out the feast, we made a Mediterranean quinoa salad with fresh mint and dill plus feta, olives and veggies, and a tossed green salad for it’s crisp green contribution.
Save Room for Dessert
To complete the menu, a great dessert is mandatory. It’s what people eat last and remember most. To finish the feast, we made my favorite go-to dessert, a lemon almond polenta cake. It is always a hit and not a crumb was left.
One pan. An easy batter made in a food processor. Gluten-free. Reduced sugar. Dairy-free. Baked in a springform pan. Yes, it is the proverbial piece of cake, on several levels. The batter is so good, you’ll want to just eat the batter, which Dave proved.
Wolf’s dual convection oven with two fans and four heating elements produce more uniform heating than a single convection fan can deliver. Since the air is heated consistently throughout the oven cavity, there are no hot or cool spots, and this means greater consistency in your foods without ever rotating the pan. The cake came out perfect.
To serve the cake, we topped it with whipped coconut cream (I used an iSi Whipper, fun toy to have!) and fresh berries.
To do this, make sure your coconut cream is super cold and add a little sweetener (like honey or agave syrup) if desired.
The Feast!
That last minute rush to get all of the food on the table. We finally got to enjoy the fruit of our labors and celebrate a great weekend with friends over a fantastic dinner
No grill? No problem. Wrap the scallops and sear them in a non-stick pan.
Grilled Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto
Equipment
- Bamboo or metal grilling skewers
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds jumbo sea scallops about
- 4 ounces strips of Prosciutto 6 slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 9″ skewers see notes below
Instructions
- Lay scallops out on a flat surface. If it is still attached, pinch off the “foot” (abductor), a tough little piece on one side and discard. Lay out strips of Prosciutto and slice them in half (or thirds) lengthwise. Wrap one strip of Prosciutto around each scallop and overlap the end. Place three wrapped scallops on each skewer.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over both sides of the scallops and sprinkle with salt, garlic and pepper. Use a little more if needed, but go easy on salt as Prosciutto is salty.
- Heat grill to hot, clean grates with a stiff brush and oil the grates. Place scallop skewers on the grill and close the lid. Cook about 2 minutes per side, until scallops are pearly white, opaque and a little firm when touched. Don’t overcook them to maintain tenderness. Prosciutto will be crisp at the edges. Serve with citrus sauce, a few tablespoons per person or a good extra virgin olive oil.
I loved this post and all the photos–a little different from your usual (which is also great!) I would move in there too if they’d let me. Looks like you had a lot of fun!
Thanks Sally! Yes, this was quite different for us. So much work to shoot but we had a great time. And dinner was terrific! Thanks for commenting.
Looks like the perfect night – great food enjoyed with great friends. I wish we lived closer!!
It was Kelly, exactly that! Anytime you get to share with family and friends, grand or simple, it’s time to treasure.
What a gorgeous kitchen!! Love that Sub-Zero Fridge and the Wolf dual Convection Oven!! Sounds like you had a marvelous time; the menu was divine….need to try those Prosciutto wrapped Scallops!! Heading over to Amazon to find those skewers =) Really enjoyed this post…thank you!
Thanks Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed it. Yep, it is a gorgeous kitchen and house. We were thankful our friends let us barge in. You will love those skewers. They are all I want to use now. So stable. We have the same SubZero fridge, but love the range. It’s a gas oven too, not electric, and that cake baked so perfectly. Even, golden. Makes me miss my gas oven. May have to swap out my range.
I want to live in that kitchen and eat those scallops everyday.
Beautiful food and kitchen!
That kitchen looks incredible, and so does that cake!
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/502539836452900864
How delish! I want an invite to the next party 😉
tweeted – https://twitter.com/dmarie824/status/502550690233720832
A lot of people don’t like scallops.. this recipe might change all of that.
This receipe looks yummy and easy to prepare. I love getting your emails each week Sally!
Thank you!
Thanks for the smile Teresa! Try them. I am making them of dinner tonight!
I love the counter space and appliances! What a great recipe.
The kitchen looks great and the food looks so deicious
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/502577429441826816
What a amazing meal! Great presentation! Everything was just beautiful. The artichokes where so huge! The kitchen is a dream!
Tweeted on my twitter: https://twitter.com/lil_lady_dz/status/502615600443568128
Perfect view, perfect food, perfect kitchen, perfect menu, perfect chef. 🙂
I would really like to have a Wolf outdoor grill.
I shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dandidaffyhill/status/502651577480380417
loooks so delicious 🙂
I don’t like scallops, but I’d love to try this out on a friend who loves them.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/502709387907969024
I don’t like scallops, but I’d like to try this on a friend who is does.
Please do Vincent and report back! This simple recipe could turn anyone into a scallop lover.
The grilled artichokes look great, I have never tried them that way.
tweet
https://twitter.com/kellysaver/status/502785857971970049
Can’t wait to try the recipe. Photos are beautiful.
Your good looks so delicious!! Thanks for the giveaway.
Buying fresh is a great idea! We’re lucky in that we have our own small garden. I wish I had a dual convection oven!
Tweet! https://twitter.com/lexiquin/status/503060511882502144
Loved this post! Beautiful kitchen, friends, food & pictures! Divine! Can’t wait to try that sauce w/the scallops!
Those grilled scallops look so delicious! I wish I was there to join the feast.
-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/503745883792367616
What a fun party idea! Delicious looking meal, with lots of handy helpers!
they all look so good. what a great idea.
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/504437308947308544
The meal looks delicious!!!
I tweeted about the giveaway under @yarbr012 : https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/505106704359772160
Those scallops look amazing! I would love to cook in that amazing kitchen!
I love your friend’s kitchen and I would love to have Sub Zero and Wolf appliances in mine.
Tweet:
https://twitter.com/Janetfaye/status/505979848993411073
What a gorgeous kitchen! I love that Sub-Zero Fridge and the Wolf dual Convection. Yummy food.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/507954073488732160
fantastic kitchen, comfortable to be in.
https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/508599904814370816
wow everything look so good
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/509062568905031680
sounds like a great time together, i’ve never tried scallops but would love a Wold Dual Fuel range to make some gourmet meals myself
pryfamily5@gmail.com
i tweeted https://twitter.com/thepryfamily5/status/509400092701241344
pryfamily5@gmail.com
The kitchen is beautiful.
Wow! What a beautiful kitchen!!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/510222354010492928
Looks like alot of yummy food and great fellowship
https://twitter.com/mkjmc/status/510440012886724609
I love cooking and baking and I would love to have Wolf appliances in my kitchen.Maybe one day….
tweeted -https://twitter.com/neiddy_ruiz/status/510458731906080768
Beautiful kitchen! Wish I had one like it.
I love the open space especially in the kitchen
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/511312118826536960
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
What a fabulous kitchen and a wonderful meal. I’ve never learned to “share” a kitchen with anyone else, but you make it look like so much fun with delicious results.
Tweeted here: https://twitter.com/sharonjo2/status/511350454073044992
Oops, forgot the hashtag on my tweet. Here’s the correct entry: https://twitter.com/sharonjo2/status/511351689752764416
Thank you!
Those scallops look so good – I will try that recipe for sure.
I’m not sure which is better looking; the food or the kitchen!
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/511902650099826688
I do not see an actual sweepstakes prompt anywhere on your post, so I will just comment on the post itself. I hope this is OK! This recipe looks very good and would be super easy to make vegetarian with the Sophie’s Kitchen vegan scallops I buy! I could even use the Lightlife vegan bacon to make it even closer to your recipe! Cool!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/511907131155431424
Awesome house! Thanks for the giveaway.
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/511961008126967809
i love bacon wrapped scallops
https://twitter.com/raggammuffin/status/511962607708688385
Oh my goodness! I love scallops and I am going to need to try this recipe!! Thank you.