Scallops are a solo cook’s friend because, like shrimp, they come in easy-to-manage amounts, cook quickly, and take well to all sorts of preparations. Here, they help bulk up black bean soup into a meal. Look for “dry-packed” scallops, which are shipped without the extra water and additives that dull the flavor of wet-packed scallops, making them sweeter and easier to get a nice crust on. If you can find them, you don’t need to rinse and pat them dry.

　　

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 cups Spicy Black Bean Soup Base (page 52), defrosted if frozen

　　Up to 1/2 cup water or chicken or vegetable stock (optional)

　　1/2 to 1 serrano or jalapeño chile

　　1/4 barely ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

　　1 small tomatillo, husk removed, rinsed, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

　　1 very small shallot lobe, finely chopped

　　Leaves from 5 or 6 sprigs cilantro (about 1 tablespoon), finely chopped

　　Finely grated zest of 1 lime

　　Juice of 1/2 lime

　　1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey

　　3 large sea scallops (about 3 ounces)

　　Kosher or sea salt

　　1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

　　

Step 1

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the soup base, then whisk in enough water to reach your desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes to heat the soup through, then decrease the heat to low, cover, and keep it hot while you make the topping.

　　

Step 2

Remove the stem from the serrano and scrape out the ribs and seeds, reserving the seeds. Finely chop half the serrano, then transfer it to a small bowl. Add the avocado, tomatillo, shallot, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and agave nectar; stir to combine. Taste, and if you want the salsa spicier, add some of the serrano seeds and/or the other half of the serrano, finely chopped.

　　

Step 3

Remove the large side muscles from the scallops. Then, unless they’re dry-packed scallops, rinse them and thoroughly pat dry. Season the scallops with salt on each side.

　　

Step 4

Pour the oil into a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When it starts to shimmer, add the scallops, making sure they aren’t touching each other. Sear until they have a 1/4-inch-deep golden crust, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn them over and sear on the other side for another minute or so. They should still be slightly springy to the touch, and you should be able to tell on the sides that the middle is still slightly translucent. Transfer them to a plate.

　　

Step 5

Ladle the soup into a wide, shallow bowl, top with the salsa and then the scallops, and eat.

　　Reprinted with permission from Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One by Joe Yonan. Text copyright © 2011 by Joe Yonan; photographs copyright © 2011 by Ed Anderson. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.Joe Yonan is the food and travel editor at the Washington Post, where he writes the award-winning "Cooking for One" column. Joe's work also earned the Post the 2009 and 2010 James Beard Foundation's award for best food section. He is the former travel editor at the Boston Globe. Visit www.joeyonan.com.