Seared Scallops With Roasted Beets And Cherry Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 yellow beets, boiled, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 red beets, boiled, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• Bertolli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley, divided
• 1 lb. large scallops
• Bertolli® Extra Light™ Tasting Olive Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475º. Boil beets until tender, slice into 1/4-inch slices and place on baking sheet. Top beets with minced garlic and drizzle with 2 tablespoons Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Top with rosemary, sage and thyme. Bake approx. 5 minutes.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a skillet over low heat, add tomatoes with a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons parsley. Cook until reduced to a saucy consistency, approx. 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons parsley.
3. Season scallops with pinch of salt and, if desired, very little fresh ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon Bertolli Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat and sear scallops until a golden crust forms, turning once, approx. 4 minutes; set aside.
4. To plate, stack boiled beets and arrange scallops on top. Spoon some tomato sauce on top and drizzle additional sauce around the side. Drizzle Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil; season with fresh ground black pepper to taste and serve.

• Recipe courtesy of Fabio Viviani, owner and Executive Chef of Cafe Firenze in Moorpark, California and Firenze Osteria Italian Restaurant and Martini Bar in Toluca Lake, California.