Despite Logan being sick, dinner was still very good. I made a fairly simple dinner of Coconut Bay Scallops and some fried plantains. Very easy and tasted great, is all I have to say. The scallops were bought from Shaw's Supermarket pre-crusted with coconut, but it would be nothing to roll some fresh, medium-sized scallops in some toasted coconut after rinsing them in cold water. They just go in the oven on a foiled and sprayed baking sheet at a preheated 450°F (232°C) for 12-14 minutes. They taste fantastic! The natural sweetness of the scallop accented by the coconut, cooked to the perfect scallop texture, which should be firm, but not tough. If it is tough, you cooked it too long.
Regarding the plantains, it is harder to get them out of the peels than it is to cook. Taste wise, they are a very viable alternative to french fries, as they are paleo (fruit fried in coconut oil), and a bit healthier than fries, though not by much, as fried is still fried, and isn't the healthiest way to cook. As long as they eaten sparingly, you should be good.
To cook the plantains, just put a few dollops of solid coconut oil into a pan, and melt it over a medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot (but not smoking), just drop in some slices of plantain. I try to do a single layer, as they tend to stick together before they get a good coating of the oil, and are kind of hard to separate without digital manipulation. Let them fry for about a minute on one side, or until golden brown on the bottom, then flip. Just watch the grease...we don't need no cave fires up in here. Once both sides are done to your liking, just put on a plate with some paper towels or some other absorbing medium to drain. Cook in batches if needed. One medium sized plaintain, cut into 1/4" slices (a typical banana slice), should be enough for one person. They, like other fried foods, tend to fill you up. They taste fantastic all by themselves, or if you want, throw a bit of honey on there for a sweet taste, or some may prefer some sea salt. Alone, they taste almost exactly like a french fry, with a hint of banana in the aftertaste. The texture, as well, is quite similar.
One warning, though. If you have unfried leftovers of the plantains, I caution you not to just pop them in your mouth like you would a banana. Although they look strikingly similar to bananas, save their size, they will not taste like one. Think of them as the ugly, mean older cousin of bananas. I did it once when I was a kid, and I have since always double checked what I was buying, before I just bit in.
On a side note, Cody and I noticed a new fruit at the market last night. It is called a Uniq Fruit, and its an ugly bastard (see below). It looked like a grapefruit whacked with an ugly stick. We were wondering what was so unique about it, so we bought one. We were pleasantly surprised! Hideous little spud that it is, it peeled easily, like a mandarin orange. Inside, it looked like a grapefruit gave birth to a Clementine. We both peeled off a section, and had at it. Inside, this citrus fruit has a mild, really sweet, really juicy messy
greatness to it! I would put the taste as a cross between an orange and a mild grapefruit, with a hint of tangerine. Very good! They are a bit expensive, though, so it may just be an occasional treat. Ours cost $1.79.
Hideous
to look at - It is lumpy, frumpy, and has a poor complexion. But oh...so...good.
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