Simply Delicious Sauteed Scallops Recipes

SIMPLY DELICIOUS SAUTEED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Rinse scallops gently under cold water; drain. If large, cut in half.
• In hot butter in large, heavy skillet, saute shallot 2 minutes. Add scallops in a single layer (do half at a time, if necessary). Saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through - 5-8 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, remove to heated platter; keep warm.
• Add vermouth and parsley to skillet; cook over low heat, stirring to dissolve browned bits, until bubbling - about 1 minute. Pour sauce over the scallops.
• Garnish scallops with lemon wedges and additional parsley, if desired.

EASY GARLIC-LEMON SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add scallops, and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque.
• Remove scallops to a platter, then whisk salt, pepper, and lemon juice into butter. Pour sauce over scallops to serve.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Remove the tiny, tough side muscle where sand can hide and rinse the scallops if necessary (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed). Dry the scallops very well with a paper towel, as moisture can impede browning.
• Heat a large cast iron pan or thick-bottom nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. (Heat two pans if necessary to keep scallops from crowding.) Add the olive oil and ½ tablespoon of the butter, and swirl to coat the pan. Place the scallops in the pan and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Sear on the first side, without touching or flipping, for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Using tongs, turn the scallops over, season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and sear for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through.
• Move the scallops to a plate. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 3½ tablespoons butter to the skillet. As the butter is melting, add the lemon juice and swirl the pan a few times, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
• Add the scallops back in the skillet, baste with the sauce to warm, and then divide onto 4 plates, using all the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
• Note: When purchasing scallops, look for the "dry" or "dry-packed" variety. Some scallops on the market are dipped in a solution to extend shelf life. The scallops end up absorbing the water in the solution, increasing the price and causing the scallops to leak moisture when cooked (which will keep them from developing a beautifully caramelized exterior). Quality seafood markets typically carry dry scallops but don't usually label them; if you're uncertain of what to buy, ask your fishmonger.
• Variation: For even more flavor, you can brown the butter to make a brown butter lemon sauce. Before cooking the scallops, start the sauce by adding 3½ tablespoons of the butter to a small, thick-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. You will notice foaming and then milk particles will begin to drop to the bottom. When the butter turns golden and starts to smell nutty, it's done. Set aside for a minute or two. Strain through the finest strainer you have to remove the brown bits. (It's called "brown butter," but a key to browning butter is to remove when it is golden, before it paradoxically turns brown and burns.) Set the strained butter aside and proceed with the recipe, adding the browned butter to the pan after cooking the scallops.

SAUTEED BAY SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Choose a saute pan large enough to hold all of the scallops in one layer without overcrowding the pan or without them touching each other. Cook in batches if necessary. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter until nearly smoking. Add the scallops and do not move or shake pan, but allow the scallops to brown well on one side before tossing the pan to flip them or gently turning them with a spatula to cook the second side.
• Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a warm serving platter. Return the pan in which the scallops had been cooked to the fire, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sweet butter, and cook until the butter begins to turn a light brown color. When the butter has browned to a hazelnut color add the lemon juice and chopped parsley.
• Pour the classic lemon butter over the scallops, garnish with heart-shaped croutons and serve promptly.

SAUTéED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, and add to it 3 tablespoons of the butter. When it has melted and started to foam, place the scallops in the pan in a single layer, and season with a pinch or two of salt.
• Cook scallops without moving until the bottoms are golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes, then turn them over, add the wine and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan melt butter over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic and whole sprigs of rosemary to the saucepan. Add scallops, cook for 2 minutes on each side (or until desired consistency). Remove the garlic and rosemary from pan. Serve.

SAUTEED SCALLOPS WITH WITH LEMON-MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper; dust with flour. Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add scallops; sauté until brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Remove skillet from heat. Using tongs, transfer scallops to platter. Add butter, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water and mustard to skillet and scrape up browned bits. Place skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk until sauce simmers and thickens, about 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper; spoon over scallops.

SIMPLY SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Pat sea scallops dry with paper towels. Season with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper on one side.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over high heat. Place scallops in the skillet seasoned-side down. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Season with remaining lemon juice, salt, and pepper; flip. Continue cooking until opaque, about 2 minutes more. Garnish with lemon zest.