Sea Scallops in 10 Minutes

 
Sea Scallops in 10 minutes

Sea Scallops in 10 minutes

Fresh or bust. That’s the rule with scallops. Either you get them fresh, never frozen, or don’t bother. Frozen scallops invariably turn out rubbery and tasteless, regardless of technique. Fresh scallops need very little cooking and will always be tender and sweet. They are pricey, at $30 a pound for Maine Day boat scallops, which is why you never get more than three or four in a serving at any restaurant.

If you make a mistake and buy frozen scallops, use them for a bouillabaisse or cook them and process them with some sour cream, citrus, chives and dill, for a scallop spread.

The Secret to tasty sea scallops is in the freshness
 


Sea Scallops in 10 minutes

Ready in 10 minutes, these plump and sweet scallops go well with a multitude of veggies, from potatoes to corn and fennel.

by Soumeya | April 2019

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 5 minutes
  • Inactive time: 0 minutes
  • Total time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 12 large sea scallops
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed*
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced*
  • Chopped cilantro, for garnish*

Instructions:

  1. Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
  2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
  3. Add the scallops and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes.
  4. Flip the scallops and add the butter.
  5. Cook over high heat, basting the scallops with the melted butter until nearly cooked through, about 1 minute.
  6. Add the minced garlic to the butter and continue basting for an additional minute.
  7. Garnish with cilantro and serve right away.

Notes:

  1. This recipe is for sea scallops, not bay scallops. Remove the muscle or ask your fishmonger to do that for you.

Denotes items that we prefer to be organic. Read more about it here: Items to buy organic when grocery shopping.