Sautéed Scallops and Tomatoes on Garlic Toast

Makes 12 rounds, or appetizers for 6

Any cocktail hour or dinner party (or Wednesday night, for that matter) will be instantly elevated with these hard-to-resist appetizers. Make the garlic toast before your guests arrive, if you like.

Ingredients

1 French baguette
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 pound sea scallops with liquor (about 12)
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Juice of one lemon
2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Method

Slice French bread into rounds, brush with olive oil, and grill or broil until bread begins to turn golden. Rub with garlic cloves and set aside, covering loosely.

Brush remaining olive oil over the bottom of a heavy skillet. Sauté shallots and garlic until they begin to color, then add scallops, liquor and lemon juice. Heat until scallops begin to look opaque. Add cayenne, oregano, and tomatoes, stirring to blend. Continue cooking until scallops are white and tender.

Remove scallops from pan, placing one atop each round of toast. Heat the sauce for 2—3 minutes to reduce, then spoon tomatoes over scallops and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving (2 rounds): 250 calories (25 from fat), 3g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 400mg sodium, 38g total carbohydrate (2g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 15g protein

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/165