Stinging Nettle Pesto with Seared Scallops

Nettles—weeds that grow throughout the United States—are like something out of a scary children’s story. Their leaves are serrated like teeth and they’re covered with spiky hairs that sting on contact. But the sting is fleeting, and the antidote is the juice of the nettles’ own leaves. Boiled briefly, nettles turn into a rich green vegetable much like spinach. Farmed bay scallops are a good seafood choice because they don’t require antibiotics or other chemical treatment and they clean the surrounding water by filtering out matter.

 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ lb. stinging nettles

¼ C. fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

½ C. pine nuts, toasted

¼ C. lemon juice

â…“ C. plus 3 T. olive oil

¼ C. firmly packed grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

16 farmed bay scallops

 

Fill a large pot halfway full of water. Add 1/4 C. salt and bring to a boil. Fill the sink or a large bowl with cold water. Using gloves or tongs, submerge the nettles in the water and let them sit for 5 minutes. Remove the nettles and discard the water. Wearing rubber gloves, pull the leaves off the stems and discard the stems. Put the nettles in the boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Drain and spread the nettles on a baking sheet. Let cool completely. Squeeze out as much of the water as possible and coarsely chop. Place the nettles in the bowl of a food processor with the mint, garlic, pine nuts, and 2 T. of the lemon juice. Process until the mixture has formed a paste. With the machine running, pour in1/3 C. olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside. Slice off the small side muscle from the scallops, then rinse in cold water and thoroughly pat dry. Season with salt on both sides. Heat a skillet for about 1 minute. Add the 3 T. olive oil and test to make sure it’s hot (a drop of liquid should sizzle when it hits the skillet). Place the scallops in the skillet. They should have plenty of room so that they sear instead of steam. If the skillet is small, sear them in batches. Cook the first side for 1 1/2 minutes, then flip and cook the second side for 1 minute. When done, the scallops should have a brown crust but still be translucent in the center.  Place 4 scallops on a plate and top each with a tsp. of pesto. Season with the remaining lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with a few small mint leaves.