Scallop recipe that will make your mouth water of pan-seared scallops with plantains and salsa on top, brings the flavor of Miami Florida home.
I can remember the first time I ever had fried plantains in my life. It has such a special memory for me that I would love to share it with you.
My father and I always celebrated our birthdays together and he was in Florida visiting while I was going to school. I was so excited because they were big Gloria Estefan fans and I had made a reservation to the restaurant. What a treat this was for my dad.
The restaurant had the Latin flavor everywhere which included the decor and the waiters were fun and danced while they delivered your food to Gloria’s tunes. As I read the menu I ordered the plantains with a mango topping. They were delicious and my parents were all smiles being on South Beach enjoying the music with a flare of Latin America everywhere.
That was 19 years ago and I still remember it like it was yesterday. My father is no longer with us but my memories of eating at Gloria Estefan restaurant still bring a smile to my face. It is the food that brings people together and the places we go to visit become a great places to visit if the food was good!
The Pan Seared Scallops with Plantains are an example of that time I had with my dad on our birthday. Now I make it for Jeff who by the way ate the whole plate and left me 4 to eat. Making the Pan Seared Scallops with Plantains is a way of sharing my dad with Jeff because he never met him.
He has only heard stories and has met a couple of his close friends. One thing is for sure, my dad and Jeff have the same taste buds which is a quality that I love. My dad was my guinea pig when I tried a new recipe. Now Jeff has become the sampler of all things on Lizzy Loves Food but there is not much he doesn’t like! LOL
HOW TO MAKE Pan-Seared Scallops with Plantains, Topped with Mango Salsa
Scallops
1. Place the scallops in a bowl and pour the wine and mix with salt and pepper.
2. Add bay leaves and lemon juice, and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Once I'm ready to cook the scallops, I drain them well, and heat a separate pan from the plantains. I add a little ghee and let it get hot, sear one side and flip to the other side until gold color. If the pan gets too hot I will lower the heat down to medium.
4. Slice the mango into cubes crisscross and cut into cubes, place in a bowl.
5. Slice your tomato and jalapeno in place in the bowl.
6. Add spices and lime juice and mix all together and set aside until it's time to top the scallops.
7. Peel and slice plantain ⅓ inch.
8. Heat the pan with ghee once hot, place the plantain.
9. Fry one side and when lightly brown flip to the other side, should not take more than a minute.
10. Remove and flatten with a flat wooden spoon.
11. Return to the pan return to the fry the plantains until it is crispy.
13. Now I can start layering my plantains, 1. the plantain, 2. top the plantain with the scallop 3. spoon with the mango salsa on top 4. Eat and Enjoy!
VARIATIONS
There are many different things to top the plantains that I have tried in the past.
- Shrimp
- Cod
- Pulled Pork
- Taco meat
WAYS TO SERVE
I like to serve my Pan Seared Scallops with Plantains with a green salad. It’s simple but goes great with such a flavorful dish. I will get romaine, arugula, spinach and mix it up with a vinaigrette.
TIP
I usually make my sauce first and have it ready once I'm done cooking the plantains and seared scallops.
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Pan Seared Scallops with Plantains
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1 pound scallops
- ¼ white wine
- 2 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon ghee or butter
- Salt & Pepper
Plantains
- 2 plantains
- ½ vegetable oil or ghee
Mango Salsa
- 1 mango
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- ½ jalapeno pepper sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 lime juiced
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Mango Salsa
- Slice the mango into cubes, crisscross and cut into cubes, place in bowl.
- Slice your tomato and jalapeno in place in bowl.
- Add spices and lime juice and mix all together and set aside until it's time to top on the scallops.
Plantains
- Peal and slice the banana about ½ inch thick.
- Fry one side and when lightly brown flip to the other side, should not take more than a minute.
- Remove and flatten with a flat wooden spoon.
- Return to the pan, return to the fry the plantains until it is crispy.
- Remove the plantains and place on a plate with a paper towel underneath to drain the oil.
Scallops
- Place the scallops in a bowl and pour the wine and mix with salt and pepper.
- Add bay leafs and lemon juice, let sit for 15 minutes.
- Once I'm ready to cook the scallops, I drain them well, and heat a separate pan from the plantains. I add a little ghee and let it get hot, sear one side and flip to the other side until gold color. If the pan gets too hot I will lower the heat down to medium.
Assemble
- Now I can start layering my plantains, 1. the plantain, 2. top the plantain with the scallop 3. spoon with the mango salsa on top 4. Eat and Enjoy!
Lisa says
Where can I get more plantains?
Lizzy says
Most International markets will carry them and Whole Foods usually has them in the produce.
Martin says
Should I use ripe (black) plantains or green plantains?
Lizzy says
I use green plantains when frying. They hold their shape better and have more of a crunch. I only use ripe plantains when I bake them. Thanks for reaching out, let me know if it comes out. Lizzy