Seed Oil Free Orange-Ginger Scallop Spoons
Elegant enough for a dinner party but surprisingly straightforward to pull off, these seared scallop bites deliver a gorgeous caramelized crust paired with a bright, aromatic glaze that hits every note — citrusy, warming, and just a little sweet. The entire recipe leans on coconut oil as the cooking fat, which means you get that high-heat sear without any refined vegetable or seed oils sneaking into the pan. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce in the glaze, keeping the flavor deep and savory while staying completely in line with a clean-oil approach. The technique here matters: patting the scallops bone-dry before they hit a screaming-hot cast iron or stainless skillet is what creates that deep golden crust instead of a sad, steamed result. Fresh orange juice, grated ginger, honey, and turmeric reduce into a glossy, restaurant-worthy glaze that you'd never guess came together in under ten minutes. Serving each scallop nestled in a crisp endive or radicchio leaf turns the whole thing into a stunning one-bite appetizer that looks far more impressive than the effort involved. These are the kind of bites that disappear from the platter before you've even finished arranging them.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the scallops
- 12 large dry-packed sea scallops (about 1 ¼ lb), side muscle removed
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
For the glaze
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 navel oranges)
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp raw honey
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 12 belgian endive leaves or radicchio leaves, separated
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
- 1 tsp orange zest, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the orange juice, 1 tsp orange zest, fresh ginger, coconut aminos, honey, turmeric, and ground ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the glaze reduces by about half and coats the back of a spoon, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- 2
Pat the scallops thoroughly dry on both sides with paper towels, then season with the sea salt. Dry scallops are essential for a proper sear — any surface moisture will cause steaming instead of browning.
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