Couscous and Scallops

For couscous:
4 t. olive oil
1/4 t. saffron threads, crushed
1 1/2 cups couscous grains
1/2 t. Malha Heeya (pink salt)
2 T. unsalted butter, diced
2 t. grated orange zest



For scallops:
1 1/2 t. smoked sweet paprika
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
3/4 t. coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
12 extra-large sea scallops (1 1/4- 1 1/2 lb), side muscles removed
Olive oil
Malha Heeya (pink salt)
1 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 orange wedges



To prepare couscous:

In a medium saucepan with a lid, bring 2 cups of water, olive oil and saffron to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous, salt, butter and orange zest. Cover and let stand at least 5 minutes or longer while you prepare the scallops. Fluff couscous with a fork before serving.



To prepare scallops:

Stir together paprika, cumin, black pepper and red pepper in a small bowl. Spread the spice mixture on a dinner plate. Pat scallops dry, then roll each one on all sides in the spice mixture.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with a thin layer of olive oil; place over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add enough scallops to fit comfortably in a single layer. Saute until cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove and continue, adding oil if needed, until all scallops are cooked. Season scallops with salt to taste.



To serve: Spoon a mound of couscous on each plate; top each serving with 3 scallops. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of parsley and an orange wedge. Squeeze the orange wedge over the scallops before eating.