Scallops with Spinach and Paprika Syrup

*From Cooking Light magazine

1/4 C. sugar
1/4 t. paprika
1/8 t. ground red pepper
1/4 C. fresh lemon juice
2 t. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs jumbo sea scallops
1/4 t. salt, divided
1/4 t. black pepper
1 t. minced fresh garlic
10 oz. fresh baby spinach
1/4 C. pine nuts, toasted

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan; cook 4 minutes or until mixture thickens. Cool slightly.

2. While paprika mixture cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 t. olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Pat scallops dry with paper towels; sprinkle with 1/2 t. salt and black pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Add remaining 1 t. oil and garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add half of spinach; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining spinach; cook 2 minutes or until wilted. Stir in 1/8 t. salt.

4. Divided the spinach mixture evenly among each of 4 plates, and divide the scallops evenly among servings. Drizzle paprika mixture evenly over scallops; sprinkle 1 T. pine nuts over each serving. Yield: 4 servings.


My take: We're continuing on a "health" kick, so this looked healthy and yummy since I love seafood. But it did not turn out well. The scallops were okay (not great), but the spinach was the worst part. It got really wilted, and when cooked it tastes really bitter. I don't mind raw baby spinach at all; in fact, we eat it all the time. But now I know I'm not a fan of the cooked version. :) And I didn't love the mix of sweet (paprika syrup) with not sweet (scallops and spinach). Some may like this recipe, especially if you can master cooking the spinach without it wilting too much. I won't be repeating this one.