'Scallops' with Roasted Pepper 'Butter' Sauce

So, I've gotten adventurous within the past month or so, and pretty much tried every vegan meat product on the market (with the exception of ground pork - still not quite brave enough for that one!). I also hadn't yet used the vegi-scallops, available from Cedar Lake (which you can buy online at veganessentials.com), so I thought it might be time to give it a whirl.

First, cut 2 red bell peppers in half lengthwise and discard the seeds and membranes. Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and flatten with your palm. Broil for 15 minutes, then transfer to zip-top plastic bags and let stand for 10 minutes.

Peel the peppers and discard the skins. Place the peppers in a blender with 1 cup vegetable broth and 1/4 cup vegan dry white wine of your choice (I used a Spanish white tonight - for vegan options, check out theorganicwinecompany.com); process until smooth.

Transfer the sauce to a skillet; bring to a boil, then continue to cook until reduced to 3/4 cups (about 5 to 7 minutes). Stir in 1 tablespoon vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), then remove from heat; cover the pan to keep the sauce warm.

Meanwhile, drain 1 (1 pound) can of vegi-scallops. Thread the 'scallops' onto 6 kebab skewers - it will work out to about 5 pieces per skewer - and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt.

Heat a stovetop grill pan or outdoor grill over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Grill the skewers for 2 and 1/2 minutes on each side. Serve 2 kebabs (10 'scallops') with 3/4 cup sauce, for 3 servings of 210 calories. Add some French bread to round out the meal, and soak up the extra sauce!

What's the verdict on the vegan scallop taste? Hard to say... in full disclosure, I've never eaten a real scallop (I became vegetarian at age 12, and scallops weren't really on the menu prior to that!). There was a slight seafood taste to the product (which is mainly made of wheat gluten), and the texture was fine, but I may wait until the food technology gets a little better before cooking with 'scallops' again.

Cost:
vegan scallops $5.99
red bell peppers $4.37
dry white wine $10.99