Diver Scallops on the Grill for the 4th of July

Holiday weekends were made for grilling, and so were diver scallops. Of all the shellfish and Pacific seafood choices out there, few take to the grill as deliciously as these plump, sweet morsels of pure delicious awesomeness. Try one of these recipes for your 4th of July holiday barbecue and start a new Independence Day tradition.
Grilled Citrus Scallops
Start with 2 pounds of diver scallops – make sure you ask for dry scallops, not those that have been bulked up with extra water. Mix together the juice and zest of two limes, some fresh chopped garlic, fresh minced parsley and cilantro, salt and pepper. Add the scallops and toss them to coat, then let them soak up the juices for about 20 minutes. Pat the scallops dry and thread them onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for half an hour. Lightly brush the sides with olive oil and grill them over hot coals for 2-3 minutes per side.
Simple Grilled Diver Scallops
Sometimes simplicity is the best. Diver scallops are delicious all on their own. If you love the sweet, succulent taste without embellishment, try this method of cooking them. Pat the dry scallops dry with a paper towel and lay them on a tray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon pepper, turning them to make sure all the sides are coated with seasonings. Refrigerate the scallops until the grill is hot. Grill the scallops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and serve on a bed of rice pilaf.
Skewered Diver Scallops and Swordfish with Fennel
Fresh swordfish and scallops are a surprisingly delicious contrast to each other, especially when they’re grilled with onion, lemon and fennel. You can buy swordfish and order diver scallops and other seafood online to make sure you have the freshest seafood possible. (Again, make sure you specify dry scallops.) Cut the swordfish steaks into cubes about the same size as the scallops. Cook fennel in boiling water for about 4 minutes, drain it and cool it. Marinate the seafood and fennel in olive oil, lime juice, onion, thyme, fennel seed and pepper for half an hour. Alternate diver scallops, fresh swordfish, fennel bulb, mushrooms and chunks of sweet pepper on wooden skewers. Brush with olive oil and grill over hot coals until scallops are opaque and swordfish flakes.
Don’t have a fresh seafood market near you? Take advantage of the Internet and order diver scallops and other fresh seafood online for the upcoming holiday. It’s worth it!