Scallops on Skewers with Carrot Sauce

Scallops take to the grill like a fish to water, and this exquisite sauce makes them irresistibly delicious!

For the sauce:

For the skewers:

To make the sauce: In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2 minutes. Stir in carrots. Add chicken broth, wine, salt, sugar, and hot sauce; simmer 30 minutes or until carrots are tender and liquid is reduced in half. Process sauce in blender or food processor until smooth. Return sauce to pan. Add broccoli; return to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice to taste.

While sauce is cooking, thread six 12-inch skewers with sea scallops, basil leaves, and carrot curls. (To keep the basil leaf from burning, press it against the scallop and wrap carrot curl around scallop.) Keep covered in refrigerator until ready to grill.

Spray skewers with nonstick cooking spray. Combine lemon zest, salt, and pepper; sprinkle on skewers. Place skewers in center of cooking grate. Grill 8 to 10 minutes or until scallops are opaque, turning once halfway through grilling time. Place some sauce on individual plates, place skewers on sauce. Pass remaining sauce for dipping.

Makes 6 servings.

Notes: Fresh scallops offer peak flavor, but fresh frozen are the next best thing. If you buy them in advance, store them in a deep freezer to preserve their delicate flavor. To make carrot curls, peel and trim medium carrots. Use a vegetable peeler to make thin lengthwise slices. Roll slices and place in ice cube trays. Cover with water and chill several hours or up to 2 days. If using wooden skewers, soak in water thirty minutes before using so ends won't burn during grilling time.