Scallops are a solo cook’s friend because, like shrimp, they come in easy-to-manage amounts, cook quickly, and take well to all sorts of preparations. Here, they help bulk up black bean soup into a meal. Look for “dry-packed” scallops, which are shipped without the extra water and additives that dull the flavor of wet-packed scallops, making them sweeter and easier to get a nice crust on. If you can find them, you don’t need to rinse and pat them dry.
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the soup base, then whisk in enough water to reach your desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes to heat the soup through, then decrease the heat to low, cover, and keep it hot while you make the topping.
Step 2
Remove the stem from the serrano and scrape out the ribs and seeds, reserving the seeds. Finely chop half the serrano, then transfer it to a small bowl. Add the avocado, tomatillo, shallot, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and agave nectar; stir to combine. Taste, and if you want the salsa spicier, add some of the serrano seeds and/or the other half of the serrano, finely chopped.
Step 3
Remove the large side muscles from the scallops. Then, unless they’re dry-packed scallops, rinse them and thoroughly pat dry. Season the scallops with salt on each side.
Step 4
Pour the oil into a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the scallops, making sure they aren’t touching each other. Sear until they have a 1/4-inch-deep golden crust, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn them over and sear on the other side for another minute or so. They should still be slightly springy to the touch, and you should be able to tell on the sides that the middle is still slightly translucent. Transfer them to a plate.
Step 5
Ladle the soup into a wide, shallow bowl, top with the salsa and then the scallops, and eat.
