Claire Robinson Gets Us On A '5 Ingredient Fix'

She's the host of 5 Ingredient Fix on the Food Network--Claire Robinson stopped by to talk about the how. She also showed us how to make her delectable Sea Scallops with Saffron Aioli and Grilled Watermelon Salad dish.

In 5 Ingredient Fix, Robinson combines her passions for food and television. The show features deliciously eclectic recipes made with five ingredients or fewer, proving that delicious dishes only need five ingredients or fewer to make cooking easier, faster and down right irresistible. Robinson shows viewers how to enhance the natural flavors of carefully-selected, fresh ingredients to illustrate her belief that each ingredient should truly stand out in a recipe. Her cooking style promotes healthy, seasonal eating as well as stress-free shopping.

The Jacksonville, Florida native cites her French-speaking grandmother as a major influence on her love for food. She has attended The French Culinary Institute in New York City and has worked on culinary production teams for several cooking series including Food Network's Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello and PBS' Everyday Baking for Everyday Food.

Catch the new season of 5 Ingredient Fix Saturdays at 12:30 pm on the Food Network.

Sea Scallops with Saffron Aioli

Sea Scallops with Saffron Aioli
Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, plus 1 teaspoon zest
1/8 teaspoon (pinch) saffron threads
1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 to 16 large sea scallops
Freshly cracked black pepper

Put the orange juice and saffron in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 1 minute, until orange juice is infused with the saffron; stir in the zest and remove from the heat to cool slightly. Whisk the orange mixture and the mayonnaise in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and set aside while you cook the scallops.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. When the oil is rippling, add the scallops and sear, turning once, until golden brown but still opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the scallops from the skillet to serving dishes, (3 to 4 per person), and drizzle with the aioli. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time:
Ease of preparation: easy

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Grilled Watermelon Salad

Grilled Watermelon Salad
Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson

1/2 (5-pound) seedless watermelon
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt (specialty salt is great here, if on hand)
2 cups fresh baby arugula, washed and dried
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled, preferably a French Chevre
Fresh finely cracked black pepper

Stand the watermelon half cut side down on a cutting board and slice away the rind, leaving a solid block of melon. Turn the block on its side and cut it into 8 squares, roughly 3 by 3 inches and 1-inch thick.

Pour the vinegar into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to a thick syrup consistency. Set aside.

Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle just enough olive oil over the watermelon slices to thinly coat and place them on the hot grill pan. Grill each side about 2 minutes until grill marks appear; transfer to a plate and season with salt.

To assemble the salads, put about 1/4 cup of baby arugula on a serving plate, followed by a grilled slice of watermelon in the center, and top with a tablespoon of crumbled cheese and another 1/4 cup arugula. Add another watermelon slice and another tablespoon of cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Finish each salad with a very light drizzle of olive oil and balsamic syrup. Dust with black pepper and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time:
Ease of preparation: easy

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Green Goddess Rice
Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
Kosher salt
1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup water
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring the rice, 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, stir, cover, and cook until water is completely absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the avocado, basil, lemon juice, oil, and 1/4 cup water in the jar of a blender and puree; season generously with salt and pepper. Add more water and puree until the mixture is the consistency of sour cream.

Fluff the rice with a fork and gently fold the green dressing into the warm rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ease of preparation: intermediate

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Pomegranate Lemonade Spritzer
Recipe courtesy Claire Robinson

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus lemon wheels for garnish
1/2 cup sugar
Seltzer water, for mixing

Pour the pomegranate juice into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. Put the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temperature.

To serve, fill a tall rocks glass with 3 to 4 pomegranate ice cubes. Pour about 1/4 cup of the lemon syrup over the ice and top off with seltzer. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Stir gently, garnish each glass with a lemon wheel and serve.

Cook's Note: This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for a crowd

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 8 hours
Ease of preparation: easy