Sea Scallops with Smoked Paprika and Orange Couscous

As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I'd have to try it. I love, love, love scallops, and the thought of pairing them with smoked paprika and orange really intrigued me. I found some huge fresh sea scallops (three per person was seriously enough), and gave the recipe a whirl. The aromas in my kitchen were mouth-watering. The flavors are, in fact, perfect together!

Sea Scallops with Smoked Paprika and Orange Couscous
Yield: 4 servings

For couscous:
4 t. olive oil
1/4 t. saffron threads, crushed
1 1/2 cups instant couscous
1/2 t. kosher salt
2 T. unsalted butter, diced
2 t. grated orange zest

For scallops:
1 1/2 t. smoked paprika
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 t. ground red (cayenne) pepper
12 extra-large sea scallops (1 1/4- 1 1/2 lb), side muscles removed
Olive oil
Kosher salt
1 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 orange wedges

To prepare couscous: In a medium saucepan with a lid, bring 2 cups of water, olive oil and saffron to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous, salt, butter and orange zest. Cover and let stand at least 5 minutes or longer while you prepare the scallops. Fluff couscous with a fork before serving.

To prepare scallops: Stir together paprika, cumin, black pepper and red pepper in a small bowl. Spread the spice mixture on a dinner plate. Pat scallops dry, then roll each one on all sides in the spice mixture.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with a thin layer of olive oil; place over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add enough scallops to fit comfortably in a single layer. Saute until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and continue, adding oil if needed, until all scallops are cooked. Season scallops with salt to taste.

To serve: Spoon a mound of couscous on each of 4 dinner plates; top each serving with 3 scallops. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of parsley and an orange wedge. Squeeze the orange wedge over the scallops before eating.

Per serving: 345 calories; 11 g. fat; 4 g. saturated fat; 17 mg. cholesterol; 9.5 g. protein; 52 g. carbohydrate; 0.5 g. sugar; 4 g. fiber; 257 mg. sodium; 31 mg. calcium; 163 mg. potassium

Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch via hfpn