Seared Scallops with Brown Butter and Capers
Recipe from Ed Kernan
Repeat after me: Scallops are not scary. Forget the abductor muscle nonsense and think about how easy they are to cook with the right tools. The perfect scallop tastes like the sea if the sea could be contained and browned in butter. All you need is a pan that can get suitably hot and not stick. There will be no lost scallops in this recipe. Using the Always Pan® Pro, which has a new kind of nonstick surface built with sear-superior titanium, you can get perfectly browned (but not overdone!) scallops without the fear or sticking. In fact, the pan is designed to enable foods like scallops to self-release when they’re done or ready to be flipped, which takes the guesswork out entirely.
1 hour
10 minutes
2 appetizer servings
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 6 fresh sea scallops
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cooking oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and dried
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ fresh parsley, finely chopped
Directions
Step 1
Place scallops in a large bowl. Fill and drain the bowl with cold water several times. Agitate the scallops in the water. This will help remove any sand in the scallops. If the abductor muscle is still attached to the scallop, remove it and discard. Place the scallops on a tray lined with paper towels. Pat the tops of the scallops dry. Refrigerate the scallops for an hour.
Step 2
Remove the scallops from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Heat your Titanium Always Pan® Pro over medium high heat. Swirl in 1–2 tablespoons of oil. Make sure to coat the entire cooking surface. Add the scallops in the pan. After about a minute, add a tablespoon of butter to the pan. Baste the scallops with the melted butter. Continue to cook scallops until well browned, about 2–3 minutes. Flip the scallops, cook for another 30 seconds while basting with butter. Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a dish lined with a paper towel.
Step 3
Pour out the cooking oil and place the pan back on the stove on medium heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Cook until the butter begins to foam and turn golden. Add the shallots and capers. Saute for 30 seconds to a minute, but be careful not to let the butter get too browned. Add in the lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Remove the paper towel from the dish with the scallops. Spoon over the brown butter sauce and serve.
Step 5
Alternatively, serve with Cream and Clam Broth Linguine.