For Christmas, I bought my father a Piastra. He loves to grill, and I thought he might enjoy trying something new. He loved it.

A piastra is a granite slab, 14 x 10 inches, that goes on the grill. Mario Batali introduced it to American cooking. You heat it to high temperature, spritz a little oil on, and sear to your heart’s content. It’s a little like cooking on hot cast iron, but on the grill. 

This recipe was in Mario’s Italian Grill cookbook, although this is a loose adaptation. If you don’t have a piastra (I don’t), you can use a cast iron grill pan and get the same effect. If you put it on the charcoal or gas grill, keep the heat around medium (< 400 degrees). Cast iron will crack over high heat.

SEA SCALLOPS ALLA CAPRESE

Adapted from Mario Batali Italian Grill
Serves 6

2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
24 fresh basil leaves
3 medium red onions, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs large scallops
1/2 cup olives, coarsely chopped
Sea salt to taste
1 lemon, cut in half

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Place a piastra (see attached) on the grill to preheat.
Slice the tomatoes creatively (leave very small ones whole) and lay out on a platter. Slice the avocado and lay over the tomatoes. Tear the basil leaves over the tomatoes, strewing them about. Set aside.
Season the onion slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them on the hot dry piastra and cook, unmoved, for 7 to 10 minutes, until well charred on the first side. Using tongs, carefully turn the slices over and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on the second side, until well charred and softened. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, then separate the onion slices into smaller rings and scatter them over the tomatoes. Drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.

While the onions cook, carve a checkerboard pattern about ¼ inch deep into one side of each scallop. Season them all over with salt and pepper, toss them in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and stir gently to coat.
Place the scallops on the dry, clean piastra, design side down, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, unmoved, until almost cooked — they should be opaque almost all the way through. Flip them over and sear for just 30 seconds, then remove and arrange on the tomato/avocado salad.

Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little sea salt, squeeze the lemon halves over the scallops and tomatoes, strew the olives over everything, and serve.

A dry white wine, such as a Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc, would be good with this. I served it with the beet and goat cheese salad in this post.