Seared Alaska Scallops with Romesco on Chips; Correction to Sockeye Salmon Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Vital Choice Alaskan Weathervane scallops (about 40 pieces)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Vital Choice extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 12 ounces firm-ripe Roma tomatoes, cored
• 1 thick slice firm-textured French bread (1 ounce), toasted
• 1/2 cup canned roasted red peppers, drained
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1‒2 teaspoons organic cayenne, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• Organic black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Potato or root vegetable chips, thick-cut or baked

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spread almonds and tomatoes in separate baking pans. Bake almonds until slightly darker, 8 to 10 minutes. Bake tomatoes until skins begin to split and shrivel, 15 to 18 minutes.
2. Pour almonds into the bowl of a food processor. Tear bread into chunks and add to bowl. Whirl until finely ground.
3. Cut tomatoes in half and add to processor, along with roasted red peppers, parsley, vinegar, cayenne, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whirl until mixture is smooth. With motor running, slowly pour in 1/4 cup olive oil and whirl until incorporated. Taste, and add more salt if desired. Scrape romesco into a bowl.
4. Rinse scallops and gently pat dry. Sprinkle lightly all over with salt and pepper. In a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat, melt butter with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Add scallops and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and opaque but still moist-looking in the center (cut one to test), about 8 minutes total. Keep heat high enough to evaporate juices released from scallops.
5. Arrange as many potato chips as you have scallops on a platter, unless two will fit comfortably on a chip. Top each with a scallop (or two), then a dollop of romesco. Serve immediately.