Thyme Seared Scallops with Coconut Creamed Corn with Red Bell Peppers

 

There are two schools of thought when it comes to coconut oil: the lovers and the haters. As I continue to sift through information, I fall somewhere in the middle. The pros of coconut oil are that it’s natural, has a rich coconut aroma and luxurious texture. It’s plant-based, contrary to animal based butter. While it touts medium-chain triglycerides, reputable sources warn that this attribute doesn’t result in fat loss. Conventional wisdom points to the fact that 1 tablespoon delivers 13 grams of saturated fat, which is over half of most people’s daily limit. Meanwhile, butter contains 7 grams of saturated fat, 100 calories, and 30 milligrams of cholesterol—10% of the daily limit.

Recently Daphne Oz explained to me on Twitter how she loves using it as a makeup remover (I’d like to try that) and others gush about how they love using it as a moisturizer.

For me personally, I wonder if butter is contributing to my irritated skin, so I rely on plant-based cooking fats, which is why I chose coconut oil for this recipe. Olive and canola oil are still my first choice for cooking, but in the case of creamed corn, you want that buttery taste that coconut oil delivers. And ounce for ounce, light coconut milk has significantly fewer calories and saturated fat grams than heavy cream that is typically used in this dish.

So, to use or not to use? If you’re looking to eat a more plant-based diet or for a more coconutty flavor, coconut oil is a good substitute for butter. Extra-virgin olive oil and expeller-pressed canola oil remain my top choices for nutritious oils to use in recipes. What’s your experience with coconut oil?

Thyme Seared Scallops with Coconut Creamed Corn with Red Bell Peppers

For the corn:

2 teaspoons (4 g) virgin coconut oil

1 cup (150 g) diced red bell pepper

3 scallions, white and green parts divided, thinly sliced

4 ears corn, husks removed

1/2 cup (120 g) light coconut milk

1 teaspoon (4 g) raw sugar (or a bit more or less, to taste)

For the scallops:

1 pound (454 g) diver scallops, rinsed and blotted dry (about 8-12)

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt, to taste (optional)

1 tablespoon (13 g) virgin coconut oil

A few thyme sprigs

To make the corn: Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat and add oil. Add bell pepper and cook gently until tender, about 6 minutes, adding the white parts of scallions halfway through cooking. While the peppers cook, place a corn husk over a bowl and cut off the corn kernels, not cutting all the way to the root of the corn, since any leftover pulp you will get later. Using a soup soon scrape the remaining pulp and juice from the cobs into the bowl. When the peppers are tender, add the corn and juice and cook until the liquid cooks down, 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, 1/4 cup water and sugar and simmer until corn is tender, 30 minutes. Stir in green parts of scallions at the end of cooking.

To make the scallops: Season the scallops with pepper and salt. Heat a large sauté pan on medium-high heat and add oil, tilting the pan to ensure even coverage. Add scallops and brown on one side, 4-5 minutes, tilting the pan occasionally to evenly distribute oil. Turn the scallops onto an area of the pan coated with oil and add thyme, browning 4 minutes. Cook scallops until they reach desired doneness, with medium rare being recommended.

Spoon the corn into wide shallow dishes and top with scallops.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 36 minutes

Makes 4 servings, 2-3 scallops each (with 1/2 cup corn)

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 292 calories, 10 g total fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 848 mg sodium, 46 mg cholesterol, 27 g total carbohydrate (4 g fiber), 27 g protein, 8% DV iron, 2% DV calcium, 33% DV Vitamin A, 22% DV Vitamin C.

 

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