Scallops with Spinach and Roasted Parsnips

For the most part, I have been disappointed by David Pasternack and Ed Levine's The Young Man and the Sea. Several of the recipes have errors (from too much olive oil to incorrect cooking times), and for the most part the recipes are fairly formulaic: fish dusted with wondra flour and served with a sauteed vegetable that Pasternack claims pairs well with the fish. One exception is the recipe for scallops with sauteed spinach and roasted parsnips. The recipe is almost too simple to be cookbook-worthy, but the flavor combination is not something that would have thought of without the help of Pasternack and Levine. The sweet scallops and parsnips are a nice contrast to the bitter spinach. It doesn't hurt that the dish looks so nice on the plate.


To get the above, toss together some sauteed spinach with parsnips that have been roasted with some salt and pepper and a nob of butter in a 400F oven for about 45 minutes. Then, top the spinach and parsnips with scallops that have been seared on each side in some olive oil. Serve it to your guests and tell them that the dish is proof that a great meal need not be difficult to prepare.