Grilled Scallops with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

Until about a year ago, I would have told you that scallops were on my 'dislike' list. That was until Costco published their Black Friday cookbook In The Kitchen: The Costco Way in 2008. I found a scallops recipe  in that book (on page 144) and decided to give it a try as part of my weekly challenge. Here's the recipe that changed my impression of sea scallops.

approx. 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves

Chili-Lime Cream Sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 large shallot, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Asian sweet chili sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt and pepper

Combine scallops, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes and garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes.

To prepare the sauce, combine lime juice, wine, ginger, and shallot in a small saucepan. Cook over high heat until reduced by half (3 minutes). Add cream, lower heat and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Stir in chili sauce. Whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Preheat barbecue (I use my indoor grill) and grill on medium-high heat. Grill scallops until cooked to taste. (Don't overcook!)

Serve scallops with sauce and rice.

Thanks Costco for your yearly cookbooks. You can find this year and past cooks books here. Enjoy.