perfect seared scallops
with warm corn salad
Seared scallops were a dish I couldn’t say no to at a restaurant, but making them at home?? Oh no no no, too fancy!!
How wrong I was. Once you know the tricks, you’ll be impressing your friend or lover or friend you are secretly in love with in no time. What are those tricks, you ask? (1) Pat your scallops nice and dry with paper towels, so they caramelize in the pan, not steam. (2) Don’t season until righhhhht before searing. (The salt brings more water out, which is the enemy of browning.) (3) Get your pan really hot and add oil before butter so your buttah don’t burn. Four: DFWT!!! Don’t f*ck with them! Resist the urge to nudge, flip, rub, lick, stroke, or poke.
And on top of a bed of sweet corn salad? This is how your scallop wanted to go out.
ingredients
for the warm corn salad
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (15-ounce) can corn kernels, drained, or 2 cups fresh kernels (from 3 large ears)
½ small red bell pepper, diced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the scallops
12 extra-large or 6 jumbo scallops (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons light olive oil or canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
steps
MAKE THE SALAD:
In a large heavy skillet, heat the butter over medium heat.
When it foams, add the corn, bell pepper, and scallion and sauté, tossing lightly, until cooked but still crisp, about 3 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper and hold warm in the pan off the heat.
MAKE THE SCALLOPS:
Pat the scallops dry with paper towels; if they’re really fresh they should smell sweet and good and you shouldn’t have to rinse them.
Don’t salt them yet—it makes the tops wet, so just hold your horses!
Heat a medium skillet (NOT nonstick) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. It should be really hot but not screaming hot.
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add ½ tablespoon of the butter and swirl the pan (adding the oil first helps prevent the butter from burning).
Sprinkle half of the scallops heavily with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, seasoned-side down. DO NOT MOVE THEM! DO NOT TOUCH THEM! YOU WILL THANK ME!
Cook the scallops until a crust forms, about 2 minutes.
Pat the tops of the scallops down with a paper towel, season them heavily with salt and pepper, and flip the scallops.
Cook another 1 to 1½ minutes max, until both sides are beautifully seared.
Wipe out the skillet if it is too dark.
Cook the remaining scallops in the same manner, using the remaining oil and butter.
Transfer to a plate and serve with the warm corn salad.
