Scallops with Garlicky Tomatillo Salsa

Soak bamboo skewers in enough water to cover for 1 hour. Rinse scallops with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Thread 4 of the scallops onto 2 skewers** that are parallel to each other, leaving 1/4 inch between each scallop. Repeat with remaining scallops and skewers to get 4 sets of skewered scallops. Brush scallops with olive oil and sprinkle with ancho chile pepper and smoked paprika. Place on a tray; cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender combine tomatillos, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cover and process or blend until consistency of a chunky sauce.

For a charcoal grill, place scallops on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-hot coals for 2 to 3 minutes or until scallops are opaque, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place scallops on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

To serve, spoon salsa onto serving plates. Top with skewers and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 main-dish or 8 appetizer servings.