seared scallops
in two ways
Here in this one I combine two scallop recipes that I really wanted to try -
Notes from Chrissy Teigen's Cravings - 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 notes from Antoni in the Kitchen - ✨ Tip: Look for scallops labeled “dry,” also called diver scallops. “Wet” scallops (usually not labeled as such) are preserved in a solution of water and chemicals, which dilutes their natural flavor and makes them heavier (and therefore more expensive). And it leaches out during cooking, steaming them, so they don’t sear. Most scallops have a tough little muscle attached. Pull off and discard before cooking.
ingredients
chrissy's perfect seared scallops with warm corn salad
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
antoni's scallops with carrot butter and crispy capers
for the crispy capers
Olive oil for shallow-frying
3 tablespoons capers, drained and patted dry
for the scallops
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1¼ cups fresh carrot juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dry sea scallops, rinsed, tough muscles removed, and patted dry
Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or tarragon for garnish
steps
chrissy's perfect seared scallops with warm corn salad
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.
antoni's scallops with carrot butter and crispy capers
For the capers: Line a plate with paper towels. Pour ½ inch of oil into a small skillet and heat over medium-high heat until very hot and shimmering but not smoking. Carefully add the capers (the oil will splatter a bit) and fry until the edges are puffed up and lightly golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the capers to the paper towels to drain.
For the scallops: Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into cubes and return to the refrigerator. In a small saucepan, bring the carrot juice to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, then whisk in the chilled butter one cube at a time, whisking constantly and allowing each cube to completely blend in with the sauce before adding the next. Whisk in the orange juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a generous pinch of pepper. Remove from the heat.
Lightly season the scallops with salt on both sides. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until melted and foaming. Add the scallops and cook, tipping the pan to the side so the butter pools and basting the scallops with the butter, until a golden crust forms along the lower edges of each one, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the scallops are just cooked through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. (They should be golden brown on their tops and bottoms but still a bit undercooked and somewhat creamy in the very center.)
Transfer the scallops to serving plates, drizzle with the carrot butter, and garnish with the crispy capers and chopped herbs.
