SCALLOP FRIED RICE

Place your scallops on paper towels and pat dry.  Remove the small mussel on the side of each scallop and discard.  Season the scallops with about 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the black pepper.

Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large deep skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is almost smoking, spread the scallops in the pan, careful not to crowd, and sear until golden and caramelized on the first side, about 1-1 ½ minutes. Flip and sear for 1 minute on the second side.  They do not need to be completely cooked through and will continue cooking in the rice.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining of olive oil to the pan drippings in the skillet and cook the onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the rice to the pan and cook for 2 more minutes, breaking the rice up with a spatula if it is in lumps (leftover or cold).

Push the rice to one side of the pan and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the empty side.  Crack the eggs into the hot oil on the empty side of the pan and scramble until they are almost cooked through but still a little wet.  Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and black pepper.  Add half of the scallions (all of the whites and some of the light green) with the peas and toss everything together.

Add the oyster sauce and soy sauce to the pan.  Fold everything together until well coated.

Add the scallops back to the pan along with any juices that have formed, the bean sprouts, and the remaining scallions to the pan. Cook, tossing for 2 minutes more, until well combined.

Garnish with more scallions and serve hot.