Here’s to life and scallops
My birthday is next month — the day after taxes are due. So far, I’ve never had a birthday that’s caused me concern or thrown me into a depression. I buy into the attitude that one’s birthday is cause for celebration, if for no other reason than the fact that it beats the alternative. If there’s a key to having a “half-full” rather than “half-empty” attitude, it has to be making the choice to look forward with anticipation rather than looking back with longing or regret.
After all, what’s in one’s past is one’s history, for better or worse. Try though we might, we can’t re-write or revise it (not that most of us wouldn’t like to have just one or two “do-overs”). What we can do, if we choose to, is learn from our past. Perhaps we can improve on it in the next decade or so and make a fun and interesting history to keep us company in our dotage.
Going forward in a way that assures the best life you can make for yourself almost ensures a life well lived. It involves more than thinking about the way you’d like things to be. Thinking’s important, but it’s just the first of several steps. Following closely on the heels of thought is the decision to act on your thoughts. The conscious decision to take action is what elevates dreaming to doing, and doing to being.
Of course, taking action involves risk.
Or I look foolish? What if — oh, Lord — somebody laughs at me? Well, let’s think about it this way: in five years, will it make a difference to anyone but me? I decided a long time ago that I’d rather be one of those who do something, even if it’s wrong, than one who doesn’t or one who is afraid to try.
(Good heavens I wonder if I’ll be this philosophical just before every birthday from now on? If I do, please bear with me and after a while, somebody be brave enough to speak up and say, “You’re taking yourself too seriously, honey. Lighten up.”)
When I’m counting my blessings, I often count little things along with the serious blessings like four children, three sons-in-law, seven grandchildren and Jackson the Hound Dog. For instance: last Sunday I bought my husband a really nice piece of sole for dinner. He likes good, fresh fish, so that made him happy, which made me happy.
It also led me to cook for myself something I like that he’s not particularly fond of. I went looking for something yummy and scored a personal best at the seafood counter when I took home the biggest sea scallop I’ve ever seen. Everything else in the case looked puny next to the giant bivalve. That bad boy weighed just over a quarter of a pound. Maybe only a foodie like me would appreciate a shellfish the size of a Wendy’s quarter pounder, but it’ll always have a place in my culinary memory.
A simple sauce I frequently make served for both Carl’s fish and my shellfish.
SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH MUSTARD SHERRY SAUCE
Half a pound of dry-pack sea scallops
2 tablespoons salted butter
4 ounces heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (to taste)
about 2 tablespoons dry Sherry
Blot scallops dry on paper towels.
Melt butter in a medium skillet. When butter is hot, place scallops in pan and saute a minute or two over steady medium heat until just starting to turn brown. Turn to saute the second side. Turn heat to low, cover and continue to cook scallops about 5 more minutes until they are opaque throughout.
Remove scallops from heat and keep warm on a serving dish. Pour cream into the same skillet over medium low heat, scraping to loosen browned bits. Allow cream to come to a boil for a minute, then add mustard and Sherry. Simmer until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over scallops and serve immediately.
Serves two. The cream and Dijon mustard are the base of this sauce. You may leave out the Sherry if you wish and add 2 tablespoons Parmesan or Gruyere cheese while cooking. A green onion, chopped or minced fresh parsley (about a tablespoon) can be used to garnish just before serving.
Linda Conway Eriksson can be reached by e-mail at ieatatmoms@gmail.com.
