Quick & Easy Scallop Picatta Recipe with Quinoa

One of my favorite dishes is Sole Picatta at The Marshside in Cape Cod. I worked there during my summers in college as a waitress but have been eating there since I was 3 years old.  It’s a delicious, thin, breaded filet of fish topped with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and capers in a white wine, lemon, parsley sauce.  Not a traditional picatta but better than any I had ever had.

I’ve been trying to recreate a healthier version for years.  My first swap was the fish.  Having trouble cooking the sole, I opted for bay scallops because they do not require any breadcrumbs for flavor and are frequently on sale making them less expensive than the large ones but similar in taste.  It also cut out the need to bread the fish without losing any flavor.  Shrimp or another white flakey fish would also work well.  This recipe is high in protein, and low in calories (as compared to the original).  I omit using the butter and white wine to save some calories and paired it with Quinoa instead of the rice they serve at the restaurant.

Veggie Loaded Scallops “Picatta” 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Bay Scallops (or other favorite protein)
• 1 cup chopped tomato 
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/3 cup chopped vidalia or red onion
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp parsley (optional since I didn’t use it but traditional picatta calls for it)

Preheat a large pan on medium heat.  Spray with Olive Oil.  Once heated, add garlic and lightly brown.  Next add the onions and mushrooms.  Sauteed until onion is lightly browned and mushrooms are no longer stiff.  

Add in the tomatoes, lemon and capers to the pan.    Cook for about 3-5 more minutes.  

While the veggies are cooking, rinse off scallops and pat dry very well.Set veggie mix aside in a bowl.  Re-coat pan with more olive oil and add scallops to heated pan and cook until the scallops are no longer opaque turning half way through, which should be about 3 minutes to ensure even cooking.

 

Feel free to add pepper and pinch of sea salt.  Set scallops aside once they are done.  Place 1/3 of the scallops on top of desired quinoa and top with 1/3 of the veggie mixture.   Add an additional squeeze of lemon to the final dish and garnish with parsley if you would like.