My Version of Pan-seared Scallops
Although large sea scallops have become a budget buster of late, a local supermarket had them on sale and we decided to indulge ourselves. I checked the web for a seared scallop recipe and found one that sounded pretty good except that the amount of butter it called for looked like “coronary on a plate” to me. The original recipe called for seven tablespoons of butter, but I cut the total to four and think that it might still be quite tasty with only two.
1 1/4 lbs large sea scallops (if the ligament is still attached, remove and discard it)
4 T. butter, cut in 1 T chunks
2 T. finely chopped shallots
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. white wine vinegar (I realized mid-recipe that I didn’t have any, so substituted natural rice vinegar. If you use rice vinegar, make sure that it is natural, not seasoned)
1 T. finely chopped French tarragon
Pat scallops dry and season with a little salt and pepper.
Heat large cast iron skillet over medium-high flame. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil, or enough to coat the bottom of pan. Sear scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total.
Transfer scallops to a platter. Add shallots, wine, and vinegar to skillet and boil, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced to about two tablespoonsful. Add juices from platter. Reduce heat to low and add two tablespoons of butter, stirring until almost melted. Add remaining butter and swirl until mixed. Stir in tarragon and salt (if needed). Pour sauce over scallops and serve.
Enjoy!