Pan-seared Sea Scallops over Zucchini Pasta with Goat Cheese and blanched almonds

Ingredients

10-15  sea scallops
Coconut oil
4 medium-sized zucchini
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 cup vegetable or chicken stock
Juice from 1/2 lemon
6 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons blanched almonds

Directions:

Remove skin from zucchini; using a spiral cutter  or mandolin; cut zucchini into spirals to create “pasta.” In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.  Saute garlic until it becomes translucent.  Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Toss in the zucchini pasta and cook for a few minutes, continuing to toss the zucchini, until it gets tender and the liquid in the pan has reduced a little.  Stir in half of the goat cheese with the lemon juice, until the goat cheese has melted and the liquid in the pan is sauce-like.  Season it with salt. Remove from heat, but keep warm.

Drain and rinse scallops thoroughly, then pat them dry with paper towels. Scallops have an adductor muscle on the side. It's a tough little tab of meat that should be pulled off before cooking the scallop because it can be kind of chewy. Heat a non-stick pan over a high heat and add butter. Let the pan get hot and butter melt, place scallops flat side down in the hot pan. Make sure there is enough oil on a pan and do not lower heat. Sear scallops for about 2 minutes, they will form a gold crust and then turn them to another side, continue cooking them on a high heat for another minute. 

Tip: Once you placed scallops on a pan, do not move scallops around and do not turn them over right away, all you'll be doing is preventing them from forming the nice brown crust that you want. It is easily to overcook scallops, do not sear them for more than 3 minutes, they will become chewy and inedible.

To serve, place a mound of zucchini noodles on a plate, and place the scallops around it.  Add the remaining goat cheese to the top and garnish it with almonds.