For some, Friday, April 22, was Good Friday; for others, it was Passover. But for everyone around the world, despite religion, it was Earth Day.
In honor of the global holiday, I celebrated with a green meal. Yes, the food was primarily green in color (you should know by now how much I love double entendres), but I also thought about the environmental impacts of what I served.
First let me say that by no means am I a perfect example of sustainability. I try to be cognizant of what I'm putting in my stomach, whether it's at home or dining out. However, I know that everything I eat is not always local/humanely raised/fair trade/organic/etc. To be honest, it's quite difficult to live 100 percent this way (even yesterday's meal could be improved upon), but I try to do it as much as possible.
Sustainable seafood has become a big topic of discussion, and thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, people can be more conscious about what they're buying. Its Seafood Watch program allows people to scroll through a chart of seafood and make choices for healthy oceans. Whole Foods is using this program to guide consumers by placing labels on each item (the scallops I purchased there were listed as a "Good Alternative"—not the top "Best Choice" label, but I imagine better than most of what's out there.) You can also download the free phone app like I did.
There's also a big push for eating in season. Sadly, local peas haven't arrived at the Greenmarket (nor has any spring vegetable for that matter) so I bought frozen. (For more, read this piece by Michael Pollan on why frozen veggies are sometimes a good option.) I did, however, pick up a box of local arugula from one of my favorites, Satur Farms, located in nearby Long Island.
Curry-dusted Scallops with Pea Puree (Courtesy of Gourmet)
Yield: 4 servings
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (not thawed)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 scallions, chopped (I used a 1/2 cup of spring onions)
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 pounds sea scallops, muscle removed from side of each
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Cook peas on stovetop in a small pot with 1/4 cup of water according to package directions; do not drain. Pulse in a food processor with cooking water, butter and scallions to make a course puree. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
2. Stir together curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pat scallops dry and coat all over with curry mixture.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat; add oil. Saute scallops in two batches, turning once, until browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch. Serve scallops over the pea puree.
The meal was not only simple and satisfying, it made me feel like I was contributing a bit to the planet's well being. Time to make this an Earth Year.
