AIP Friendly Avocado-Cucumber Scallop Spoons
These elegant little bites deliver serious restaurant energy with a surprisingly short ingredient list and a cooking process that keeps everything clean and compliant. Searing scallops can feel intimidating, but the method here — patting them bone dry, seasoning simply with sea salt, and hitting a screaming-hot pan with coconut oil — produces that gorgeous golden crust without any butter, grains, or nightshade-based sauces that would otherwise knock this out of bounds. The avocado purée underneath is blended with fresh lime juice, ginger, cilantro, and olive oil, so it's rich and bright without any dairy or legume-based thickeners. Crisp cucumber rounds do the work of a cracker or crostini, keeping every bite cool and refreshing against the warm, caramelized scallop on top. It all comes together in a way that feels indulgent but relies entirely on whole, unprocessed ingredients. Each serving is naturally free of grains, eggs, nightshades, and seed oils — no substitutions required, just the recipe as written. Make these for a dinner party and nobody will guess they're eating something so carefully considered; they'll just ask for more.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the scallops
- 12 large dry-packed sea scallops (about 1 lb), side muscle removed
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the avocado purée
- 1 ripe avocado, pitted and flesh scooped out
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For assembly
- 1 english cucumber, cut into 12 rounds (about ½ inch thick)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the scallops completely dry with paper towels, then season all over with 1/4 tsp of the sea salt. Set aside on a clean plate while you prepare the purée.
- 2
Combine the avocado flesh, 2 tbsp lime juice, cilantro, ginger, olive oil, and 1/4 tsp sea salt in a small food processor or blender. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides once. Taste and adjust salt or lime as needed. Transfer to a small bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent browning.
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