I’ve just returned from the Florida Keys, and I have a tasty treat in store for you! But first I must tell you about the island adventure.

I traveled to a family friend’s house on the Sugarloaf Key, 17 miles north of Key West, and enjoyed a lovely four-day vacation with my family — Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-in-law, and their children, Helen and Connor. The weather was perfectly sunny, with a warm breeze blowing in off the gulf. We enjoyed swimming in the salty sea, relaxing with books and magazines by the pool (which was originally a fresh-water basin), and spending some much-needed quality time with each other.

We even went on a pirate scavenger hunt! Here is Connor with his scroll and “something round,” as well as a sampling of my photos from around Sugarloaf Key and Key West. A recipe for my version of garlic sea scallops from Blue Heaven, as well as photos, follow.

Helen kayaking with her dad

Key West window box

After all the excitement of a pirate treasure hunt, shopping on Duval and Caroline Streets, and feeding fish off the pier, we headed to Blue Heaven, our favorite Key West restaurant, for a delightful meal outdoors in the island air.

All the dishes at Blue Heaven are divine, but our hands-down favorite was a succulent garlic sea scallop appetizer — a special for the night, which was also served as an entree.

The large, fresh scallops were first seared in hot, browned butter, then sauteed with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, garlic, a bit of bacon, then finished with a pinch of salt and pepper and squirt of key lime juice. Oh, my, those scallops were cooked to purrrfection. The texture was perfect, and the flavor “out of this world,” as my dad says.

I attempted to recreate the amazing dish at home today. It’s certainly not an exact replica, as I need some lessons in making butter sauces, but the flavor was close and texture of the scallops right on target. So, here goes…

Recipe: Blue Heaven garlic sea scallops
Serves one

3 large sea scallops
1/4 cup butter (not unsalted)
1-2 mushrooms
2 Tbsp diced tomatoes (about half a small tomato)
1 large garlic clove, finely minced (about 1 tsp)
1 Tbsp shallots, roughly minced
1 slice uncooked bacon
Pinch salt and pepper
Pinch lime juice (about 1/8 tsp)
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp chives, minced (optional)
1/2 cup fresh spinach (optional — for garnish)

First, prep all of your ingredients — wash, mince, and dice. Then, heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp butter. Once it almost melts, add scallops. Sear on both sides, about 1-2 minutes on each side.

Reduce heat to just below medium; add half of the remaining butter, the bacon, then mushrooms, shallots, and tomatoes. Sautee until mushrooms are tender and butter is a dark golden brown. Add remaining butter, and whisk in flour. Stir in salt, pepper, lime juice, and chives.

Keep the burner on medium and plate scallops, pouring the sauce over and around them. Return skillet to the burner and quickly sautee spinach, just till wilted, adding a little butter if needed. Place sauteed spinach on top of the scallops.

For toast points, butter two 1/4-inch thick slices of French baguette. Sprinkle with a little garlic powder and either place in a toaster oven to toast, or place butter-side down in a hot skillet until browned. Serve alongside scallop dish and use to sop up the remaining buttery garlic sauce.