I just discovered ground cherries a couple years ago and they are one of the most exquisite fruits these taste buds have tossed around. Imagine a tropical tomato as you take a mouthwatering bite. The first time I had a ground cherry was from Jerry at Froggy Meadow Farms. He likes to sell really weird things and ground cherries are one of his specialties. I naturally had to try one when he offered it up. Ground cherries are also called cape gooseberries or poha berries.

I decided to look a little more into these wild tomatoes that tasted like a melon but had a husk like a tomatillo. I got this book in college called “1001 Foods You Must Try Before You Die.” “Combine with couscous and cilantro, they form an accompaniment to scallops,” was written under the Cape Gooseberry section and boom there was my dinner. Well, basically. I swapped the couscous for quinoa because that’s what I had and I added a little lime and olive oil. Easiest meal I’ve made in a long time.

Serves: 2

Hands-on time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Gluten free, dairy free, soy free

Ingredients

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 lb scallops (about 15-20)

1 lime juice

¼ cup + 1 Tbsp olive oil

½ cup ground cherries

1 Tbsp cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pat scallops dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in pan to medium-high heat. Sear scallops for 1 ½ – 2 minutes on each side.
2. Arrange quinoa, scallops, ground cherries on a plate. Squeeze lime juice and drizzle with olive oil. Top with cilantro.
3. Enjoy!