Sea Scallops With Carrot-Marjoram Sauce

Serves: 2

Luisa Champlin

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

50

Spice

45

Sweetness

54

Sourness

44

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.9

Difficulty

Ingredients:

2 cups

Carrot Juice

1 tsp

Salt

2 tbsps

Vegetable

Directions:

1

In a medium saucepan, combine carrot juice, 1/4 cup wine, lemon juice, shallot, and salt

2

Bring to a boil over high heat

3

Reduce heat just enough to maintain a steady boil and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup

4

It should be the consistency of pulpy orange juice, 20 to 30 minutes

5

Reduce heat and very gently simmer carrot reduction

6

Whisk in butter 1 piece at a time, waiting until each piece is melted and incorporated before adding another

7

The sauce should be thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon

8

Return the sauce to a simmer, whisking constantly

9

Drop in and submerge the bundle of marjoram and remove from the heat

10

Let marjoram infuse sauce while cooking the scallops

11

Heat oven to 175 degrees F

12

Turn off the oven and put in a platter to warm

13

If the scallops have a small, loosely attached, rectangular piece of white muscle on their sides, pull it off and discard it

14

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season all sides lightly with salt and pepper

15

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over high heat until it is very hot and smoking

16

Using tongs, carefully place the scallops flat side down in the pan

17

Let the scallops cook undisturbed until they are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes

18

Turn and cook until the other side is browned, 1 to 2 minutes

19

Transfer scallops to warmed platter

20

Reduce heat to medium and pour in remaining 1/4 cup wine

21

Scrape up browned bits, then add liquid to carrot mixture

22

Remove marjoram bundle from carrot sauce, squeeze it dry, and discard

23

Reheat sauce over medium heat, whisking constantly

24

Taste and adjust seasoning

25

For a very smooth texture, pass sauce through a very fine strainer

26

If there is a problem with sauce separating or butter coming to surface in droplets, blend it with an immersion blender for a few seconds

27

Divide scallops among warmed dinner plates and pour carrot sauce around them