"The Guy Cooks!"

Tried something different tonight. Fired up the grill with Mesquite briquets and sauted some large, beautiful, scallops (from Costco) as an appetizer to be followed by broiled lobster tails. It's not solely about cooking time; it's more about heat. And here's a key point: Grilling scallops is a delicate matter; it's important not to overcook 'em. If you do, they tend to get rubbery.

Getting started: I made a broiling pan from two layers of heavy-duty foil, added some olive oil and placed it on the grill right over the coals. When it was hot, I added mashed garlic, chopped scallions (for color) and thin-sliced onion rings. Once they were sizzling well, I tossed in the scallops and let them cook for about 15 minutes, keeping the onion/scallion/garlic mix close around them.

When they turn from transluscent to an opaque white, they're pretty much done. You may want to cut into one of them to confirm that whiteness is uniform all the way through. Trust your instinct. If you think they're done, pull 'em off - if they seem undercooked, you can always put them back on. When you're satisfied, put 'em on a plate and place some of the onion/scallion mix on top and serve hot!

Great prelude to the lobster course!