Seared Scallops With Pan Sauce
Serves: 5
Callie Medhurst
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
49
Spice
56
Sweetness
43
Sourness
31
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 tbsps
Butter1 tbsp
Olive Oil680 g
Sea Scallops1
Salt1 tbsp
Garlic (minced)1 cup
White Wine (dry)2 tbsps
Chives (chopped fresh)Directions:
1
Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into pea-sized pieces, put it on a small plate, and stick it in the freezer
2
Heat a large skillet over medium-heat high for 3 or 4 minutes
3
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil and wait for the butter to melt
4
Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, add them to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper; work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet
5
Cook, turning once, until they are well browned on both sides but not quite cooked through, 2 minutes per side (less if the scallops are under 1 inch across; more if they’re over)
6
Transfer the scallops to a plate
7
Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet with a spatula
8
Lower the heat to medium and cook until the liquid in the skillet thickens, a minute or two, then whisk in the butter you chilled in the freezer, one bit at a time, to make a creamy sauce, adding another tablespoon or two of liquid if necessary
9
Return the scallops to the skillet and add the chives
10
Adjust the heat so the sauce bubbles gently and toss to coat the scallops with the sauce
11
To serve, transfer the scallops to a platter and spoon the sauce over all
12
Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into pea-sized pieces, put it on a small plate, and stick it in the freezer
13
Heat a large skillet over medium-heat high for 3 or 4 minutes
14
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil and wait for the butter to melt
15
Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, add them to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper; work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet
16
Cook, turning once, until they are well browned on both sides but not quite cooked through, 2 minutes per side (less if the scallops are under 1 inch across; more if they’re over)
17
Transfer the scallops to a plate
18
Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet with a spatula
19
Lower the heat to medium and cook until the liquid in the skillet thickens, a minute or two, then whisk in the butter you chilled in the freezer, one bit at a time, to make a creamy sauce, adding another tablespoon or two of liquid if necessary
20
Return the scallops to the skillet and add the chives
21
Adjust the heat so the sauce bubbles gently and toss to coat the scallops with the sauce
22
To serve, transfer the scallops to a platter and spoon the sauce over all
23
Variation: Seared Scallops With Cherry Tomatoes and Basil: Skip the lemon juice
24
Cut 1 pint cherry tomatoes in half
25
Add the tomatoes with the garlic and wine and cook until they wrinkle a bit and release their juice, 2 or 3 minutes
26
Use chopped fresh basil leaves instead of chives
27
Seared Scallops With Cherry Tomatoes and Basil: Skip the lemon juice
28
Cut 1 pint cherry tomatoes in half
29
Add the tomatoes with the garlic and wine and cook until they wrinkle a bit and release their juice, 2 or 3 minutes
30
Use chopped fresh basil leaves instead of chives
31
Cooks' Notes Releasing From The Pan: The scallops will offer no resistance when they’re ready to turn
32
Press down gently while the scallops cook to encourage full contact with the pan, then listen for a hiss: That’s moisture heating and evaporating
33
Getting A Good Sear: The idea is to brown the scallops well on both sides without overcooking them, so keep the heat as high as you can without creating too much smoke
34
Building Sauce With Butter: After you add the liquid and deglaze the pan, the addition of butter develops fantastic creaminess and richness
35
Finishing The Dish: As soon as the scallops are cooked through completely and coated with the sauce, remove the pan from the heat; they will continue to cook
36
Nick-and-peek into one if you need to check for doneness
37
Releasing From The Pan: The scallops will offer no resistance when they’re ready to turn
38
Press down gently while the scallops cook to encourage full contact with the pan, then listen for a hiss: That’s moisture heating and evaporating
39
Getting A Good Sear: The idea is to brown the scallops well on both sides without overcooking them, so keep the heat as high as you can without creating too much smoke
40
Building Sauce With Butter: After you add the liquid and deglaze the pan, the addition of butter develops fantastic creaminess and richness
41
Finishing The Dish: As soon as the scallops are cooked through completely and coated with the sauce, remove the pan from the heat; they will continue to cook
42
Nick-and-peek into one if you need to check for doneness