Sea Scallop with Vermouth & Lemon Zest

Matt Burg, a good friend, fellow foodie, and a lead Columbia University researcher in the relationships among stress, high blood pressure and heart attacks, and I were walking the trails of a Connecticut state park. I relayed to him a scallop dish that we had served the night before. Matt said he shied away from scallops because of the amount of butter (high in cholesterol-raising saturated fats) that he thought needed to be used to make a great scallop dish. This recipe will dispel him of such a belief. One serving not only provides a delicious protein, but it also delivers about 400mg of Omega-3s.

16 Large Sea Scallops
½ Cup Dry Vermouth
½ Teaspoon Fennel Seed, chopped fine
2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest, chopped coarse
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped coarse

On a medium setting, heat a pan large enough to place all the scallops on the bottom with some space between each. When hot, coat bottom with olive oil. Add vermouth and scallops. Cover for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon zest. Cover for another 1 minute. Add fresh parsley and serve.