Warm chorizo, scallop, bean and tomato salad

With the start of my vacation less than three weeks away I have Spain on the brain. So it isn't surprising that most of my recipe browsing this weekend was focused on Spanish dishes. I found some incredible recipes, and although the pulpo a la gallega did sound tempting I'll wait until I'm in Galicia to try the octopus. Tonight's meal was much less adventurous but it was chock full of pork fat. I like to think of it as acclimatizing.

Warm chorizo, scallop, bean and tomato salad
adapted from this recipe

garlic, crushed
Jerez sherry vinegar
olive oil
lemon juice
beans (I used romano beans)
red onion, thinly sliced
small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
cilantro, roughly chopped
cured chorizo, sliced
jumbo scallops
arugula

Whisk the first four ingredients (along with some freshly ground sea salt and pepper) to make a vinaigrette. Combine the beans, red onion, tomatoes, and cilantro in a bowl; toss with the vinaigrette and set aside to let it come to room temperature. Saute the chorizo until it starts to firm up and release its oily goodness. Remove the chorizo from the pan (leaving the oil behind) and saute the scallops in the same pan. Once they are done, remove the scallops as well. (Now, if you still have a lot of oil in the pan, and you're training for an olive oil and pork-fueled jaunt overseas, throw caution to the wind and toss the arugula in the pan. Let the arugula wilt a bit, and note how it manages to soak up every last bit of oil. Yummy!) Add the chorizo and scallops to the bean and tomato mixture, toss, and serve the salad on a bed of wilted arugula. One last turn of sea salt and pepper and this dish is done.

Oh mi dios, this was good...