CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SCALLOPS

Cucumber Salad With Scallops image

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

4 medium cucumbers, at least 2 pounds
Salt
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes
1 small clove garlic, very finely minced
1 small chili, finely minced, or to taste ( 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes is a good substitute)
1 tablespoon minced lemon grass
1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 to 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup chopped mint, cilantro, basil or a combination
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Steps:

Peel cucumbers if they have been waxed, then trim their ends and cut them in half the long way. Scoop out seeds with a teaspoon. Sprinkle each half with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then place them in a colander. Let drain for about 30 minutes. Rinse lightly, and drain again. Cut into 1/8-to- 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in a bowl.
Mix together the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, chili, lemon grass and sugar. Thin with a tablespoon of water. Taste, and add more of any flavoring you wish. Toss dressing with cucumbers, and set aside.
Place greens on a large platter. Put a large nonstick skillet over high heat. In a bowl, toss scallops with oil, then sprinkle them with salt and cayenne. When skillet begins to smoke, add scallops one at a time; do not crowd them. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, turning as they brown; depending on their size, cook for 1 to 3 minutes on the second side. (Scallops are best when their interior is slightly underdone; cut into one to check it.)
Toss cucumbers with most of the herbs, and spoon them and the dressing over the greens. Top with the scallops. Drizzle with sesame oil, and top with remaining herbs. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 211, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 20 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1283 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams