Sea Scallops with Ham-Braised Cabbage and Kale

Succulent sea scallops served over a bed of braised Savoy cabbage and tender kale, cooked with ham stock and white wine. This elegant dish is perfectly complemented with creamy stone-ground grits.

6 servings

1 hr 19 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 large onion
•5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
•1 leaf bay leaf
•1 tablespoon garlic
•1 head Savoy cabbage
•2 cups ham stock
•1¼ pounds green kale
•1 teaspoon salt
•½ teaspoon black pepper
•30 large sea scallops
•1 cup dry white wine
•1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
•6 servings creamy stone-ground grits

Cooking Instructions

1.
Cook onion in 3 tablespoons oil with bay leaf in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add cabbage and increase heat to moderately high, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until cabbage starts to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add stock (with meat from ham hocks) and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes.
39 min
2.
Stir in kale, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
15 min
3.
Preheat oven to 200°F.
5 min
4.
Pat scallops dry and sprinkle both sides with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total). Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops (without crowding), in 2 batches if necessary, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total per batch. Transfer scallops to a shallow baking dish and keep warm in oven.
10 min
5.
Add wine to skillet and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is reduced to about 2/3 cup. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then add sauce to cabbage mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice if desired. Pour any scallop juices accumulated in baking dish into cabbage mixture, then serve mixture spooned over grits and topped with scallops.
10 min

Ingredients

•1 large onion

•5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•1 leaf bay leaf

•1 tablespoon garlic

•1 head Savoy cabbage

•2 cups ham stock

•1¼ pounds green kale

•1 teaspoon salt

•½ teaspoon black pepper

•30 large sea scallops

•1 cup dry white wine

•1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

•6 servings creamy stone-ground grits

Cooking Instructions

Cook onion in 3 tablespoons oil with bay leaf in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add cabbage and increase heat to moderately high, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until cabbage starts to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add stock (with meat from ham hocks) and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes.

39 min

Stir in kale, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 15 minutes.

15 min

Preheat oven to 200°F.

5 min

Pat scallops dry and sprinkle both sides with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total). Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops (without crowding), in 2 batches if necessary, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total per batch. Transfer scallops to a shallow baking dish and keep warm in oven.

10 min

Add wine to skillet and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, until liquid is reduced to about 2/3 cup. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, then add sauce to cabbage mixture. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice if desired. Pour any scallop juices accumulated in baking dish into cabbage mixture, then serve mixture spooned over grits and topped with scallops.

10 min