Firecracker Curried Stonington Sea Scallops

At last weekend's farmers market, there were beautiful heirloom tomatoes and produce abound. Yet it was the seafood from Gulf Shrimp Co. from Plantsville, that yet again, captured my eye and stomach. This is the same vendor from whom we, THS YLPs, snatched up our oysters when we decided to take an afternoon, YouTube oyster shucking lesson.

Last weekend, the large, locally caught Stonington sea scallops called to me. The fresh scallops were tender, meaty, and succulent. I wanted to prepare them in a simple way with a twist that would not overpower the star.

Since law school, this little YLP has prepared fish at least twice a week because it is healthy, tasty, and fast cooking. In law school, I wanted to branch out from my scaly protein rut and explore other salt water delights. My Whole Foods seafood guy recommended sea scallops because they would be easy for a fish fanatic like myself. Be it my studio size stove or my question as to what constituted "not opaque," my first scallops were overcooked and unsalvageable. At $21-23 per pound, it was an expensive mistake to make on a law school budget.

It took me another two years and a mouthwatering, seared scallop dish at some restaurant that gave me the courage to try again. I have had more success that that first attempt, especially when I keep the recipe simple. Serve these simple, spicy Stonington sea scallops for any summer supper!

Firecracker Curried Stonington Sea Scallops

(Adapted from Thyme for Wine)

Serves Two

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. Stonington sea scallops
• 1 Tbsp. curry
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Sea salt and ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot. Add the ginger and garlic; stir to coat with oil. Avoid burning the garlic and ginger.

Add the scallops in a single layer and cook until the scallops are nicely browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the curry and cayenne pepper. Quickly stir-fry together, and turn the scallops over to brown the other side.

Transfer to a plate, and top with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges to balance the heat from the curry and cayenne pepper. Enjoy!

TIPS: 

• Scallops are at their best and most tender with short cooking at very high heat; make sure to have the scallops as dry as possible and your pan so hot that the oil is shimmering - but not smoking - before you add the scallops. 
• Wrap partially used, fresh ginger in saran and place in a plastic bag in your freezer. When a recipe calls for fresh ginger, use a microplane on the frozen ginger to get the proper amount.

Dining Out: Backstage Pizza Cafe

Please enjoy another new feature - Dining Out! THS continues to explore dining out options in the greater hartford area and will update you on our favorites (don't be surprised if we venture to the shoreline or litchfield county for some special features as well!). Enjoy.

In an effort to get to know our town and explore local restaurants THS regularly visits "new to us" establishments. Being transplants to the area (via Vermont, New York, Minnesota, and DC) there is much to experience. One sunny weekend evening we ventured to this, relatively new, pizza joint in the center. Backstage Pizza offers a variety of small and large pizza pies and a few other specialty items (panini and salads). Personally, when I try a new pizza joint I go for the traditional cheese pie, better for comparison, but this time we halved it and also ordered a pepperoni/green pepper pie. The pizza is good, a nice balance of cheese and sauce, and they cut in triangles - just the way I like it. Future purchase: the Spicy Hawaiian topped with pepperoni and pineapple - yum! Again, the pizza is good but what will get me coming back is more about the non-food experience.

Backstage features outdoor dining - lots of it. With an entrance off of Farmington Avenue, you have to sneak back behind Max Oyster, this place could be missed. Backstage has more outdoor seating than indoor seating making this place great for large parties - I picture coming back with friends, pushing tables together and sitting for a while. THS fiance enjoyed the beers on-tap and although the wine list is small there was something for everyone. In addition to outdoor dining (delightful!) this casual dining establishment featured live music. Laura Ganci performed songs - the cranberries, the white stripes, gotye (you know you like the sounds of that) - that made me stick around for one more drink after the food was gone.

With so many delicious pizza restaurants in the center, this one brings a few enticing elements to get you to bring your friends out: enjoy the lovely summer night on the outdoor patio; "the Guinness certified perfect pint" for the boys; and, some live music, if you are lucky.

Cheers!: Le Spigot

HELLO, THS READERS! We have missed you the last week or two. There have been some life changes in our THS lives, including a two mile move from the West End to West Hartford and sick fiances.

We're back and better than ever. Welcome to one of our new rotating features: Cheers! Our Cheers! posts will feature where to gather with friends for a good time.

Our first classy establishment is the one and only Le Spigot, located at the corner of Prospect Ave. and West Blvd. This cash-only, wood paneled establishment is a haven for Yankee fans. For the rest of us, it's a great place to grab a quality craft beer, play some darts, and commandeer the juke box.

Just between us, I never really cared for the Spigot while in grad school because (1) I never carried cash (....this still is true) and (2) I never met new people (...this is incredibly not true). Few years older, I feel myself gravitating to this place for its ample beer selection, dartboards, and photo ops with large trophies. This place holds a special place in the THS heart because it is where we, the co-founders, met. We bonded over a tomato red, lace Urban Outfitter's throw-on-and-go dress, 5-2-2-5 schedules, and our "amazing" dart skills. We became fast friends with weekly girl dates (where we concocted the THS idea).

Patrons of the Spigot predominantly sit around tables chatting, which makes it difficult to interact with new people. If you are looking to mingle, loiter near the dartboards and jump in when there's an opening. People are always looking to incorporate an extra player onto their teams, especially if you are a lady. TIP: This is how I started making new friends - randomly talking to other dart players. Plus, there is no better ice breaker than throwing a dart against the wood-paneled wall and having it ricochet back at you. I played darts randomly in college, but it wasn't until the Spigot that I learned how to score darts. This is an important life lesson.

Even more importantly are the out.of.control. beer specials. On Friday nights, all bottles are $2.50, including the craft and high end brews. On Saturdays, there are $3.50 pints. Do not be fooled. These are solid, worldwide beer options. This is not the locale to order a high end wine or a complicated mix drink. Keep it simple, and you will not be disappointed.

THS Tips: There's now an ATM in the bar to make it easier for non-cash carriers like the THS ladies. The Spigot does not sell food; therefore, you are allowed to bring or order your own food to the bar. On Friday nights, Lucky Taco, Hartford's awesome taco truck, parks outside of the bar from 10 p.m. until close, selling delicious pork belly and beef tacos for $3 a piece. Follow Lucky Taco on Twitter on @LUCKY_TACO, and while you're at it, follow us as well @HartfordSocial.

SIDE NOTE: We are planning our first official THS dinner party/event. Tentatively, there will be a private wine tasting event and then dinner at a nearby, off the beaten path restaurant. If you want to be involved, shoot us an email at thehartfordsocial@gmail.com. Looking forward to blogging about our adventures with you!