Broiled Scallops with Miso Stuffing

April is going to be an amazing month. I'll be dining not only in NYC and NOLA, but also at some of my favorite places in DC. So needless to say, consumption will be at a high, so in times like these, I find it important to eat as healthy as possible when cooking at home. Last weekend, Easter would bring a healthy dose (read: large) of chocolate as well as sugary and salty dishes shared with friends. Don't get me wrong, I love all of those things, but this weekend was the first of many where I wanted to try some lighter meals at home.

We had some Miso that we wanted to use and found this great recipe in "How To Cook Everything." We served these scallops on a bed of greens with an Asian dressing. A wonderfully light meal and very easy to make!

Broiled Scallops with Miso Stuffing (serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs large sea scallops
• 1/3 cup plus 1 TB peanut oil.
• 1/2 cup white or yellow miso
• 2 TB mirin
• Salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Chives

Directions:

Make a paste by combining the miso, mirin and light sprinkling of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the peanut oil.

Make a deep horizontal slit in the side of each scallop, but don't cut all the way through. Fill each scallop with 1/2 teaspoon of the miso mixture, and close. Pour the remaining oil onto a plate or pan and turn the scallops in it. Let them sit while you heat a broiler until very hot (500 degrees) and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.

Put the scallops under the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes per side. Serve immediately, adding a little dollop of the miso paste/oil to the top if desired. We also added some chopped chives.