Caribbean Shrimp and Scallops

We were in the mood for shrimp and scallops this week, so I came up with this recipe, which turned out great. The dish was really tasty and fresh -- perfect for summer!

Living in New England, it's not hard to find good, fresh seafood year-round. But if you live in parts of the country where fresh seafood is harder to find, here are some tips for finding good-quality shrimp and scallops:

• Frozen seafood is the next best thing, when good-quality fresh isn't available (much of what you buy "fresh" may have been previously frozen, anyway); just follow the package instructions when thawing
• Buy seafood that smells fresh and mild; there should be no strong odor
• Raw shrimp should have firm flesh and be translucent
• Raw scallops should smell mild and slightly sweet; be moist and shiny; and have a milky white, pinkish, or tan color; and they should have almost no water around them
• Rinse scallops before cooking to remove any sand
• To devein shrimp: after peeling, use a sharp knife to cut a quarter-inch cut down the shrimp's back and remove and discard the black "vein" with your fingers

Caribbean Shrimp and Scallops

Servings: 4

Marinating time: 1 hour to overnight

2/3 cup orange juice
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons jerk seasoning
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled
1 pound sea scallops
Cooking spray
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 scallions, sliced
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, oil, and jerk seasoning. Combine the marinade and shrimp in a plastic resealable bag, shake to coat, and marinate 1 hour to overnight, turning at least once. During the last 10 minutes of marinating time, add the scallops.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet or wok with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallions, and sauté 2 minutes. Remove seafood from marinade and add to skillet, cooking about 3 minutes on each side, or until done.
3. Season dish with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Information
(For ¼ of recipe) 315 calories; 13 g carbohydrate; 43 g protein; 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated); 1 g fiber; 925 mg sodium. Exchanges: 6 very lean meats; 1.5 fats; 1 vegetable.

Side suggestions. Baked sweet potatoes. Steamed green beans.