Roasted Red Pepper Polenta Bowl with Market Vegetables and Seared Scallops

For the polenta:

3 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup of polenta

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of milk

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

1 red bell pepper

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

For the vegetables:

2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 cup of zucchini or yellow squash any variety, sliced

2 Japanese eggplants sliced

1 ear of corn roasted, cut off the cob

1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved

salt to taste

pepper to taste

For the scallops:

12 sea scallops

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil or other high-heat cooking oil

1/3 cup of basil minced

microgreens

1. In a medium Circulon Elementum saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil over medium heat. Gradually add polenta and salt and lower heat to a simmer, whisking to avoid clumps. Simmer until polenta is cooked, about 15-20 minutes, stirring often. When polenta is cooked, remove from heat and stir in butter and milk. Cover and set aside or keep on low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Roast the bell pepper under an oven broiler or an open flame until blackened and charred in spots), turning often. Remove from heat and place in a covered bowl or ziploc bag to steam for about 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and remove the seeds. Chop coarsely and add to a food processor, pureeing until somewhat smooth. Add pureed pepper and balsamic vinegar to the polenta and stir to combine.
3. In a large Circulon Elementum skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add squash, eggplant and snap peas and saute until browned, about 5-7 minutes. For more even browning, add vegetables in batches and add more olive oil as needed, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. If cooking in batches, add all vegetables back to the pan when cooked. Add tomatoes and corn and cook for another 30 seconds or so. Season vegetables with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
4. Add oil to a skillet and heat over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Pat sea scallops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Carefully add scallops to the hot pan and cook, without moving, until a brown crust has formed, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip and cook for another minute or so on the other side. Do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet to avoid overcrowding; if the pan is too crowded the scallops will steam rather than sear, and the brown crust will not form. Transfer scallops to a paper towel lined plate.
5. Divide polenta evenly into bowls. Top each bowl with the vegetable mixture and three sea scallops. Garnish with fresh basil and micro greens.