Description
Scallops and a delicious brown butter sauce, inspired by a recipe at SimplyRecipes.com.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 Tbsp (3 ounces) unsalted butter, made into browned butter
- 2 Tbsp clarified butter, peanut oil, rice bran oil, or other high smoke point oil
- 1 pound sea scallops (about a dozen)
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 strip of fresh lemon zest
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the scallops by removing any feet and patting dry.
- Heat the clarified butter/oil in a cast iron or black steel pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 450°F (232°C).
- Add scallops to the pan—as many as you can handle without crowding them. Work in batches if necessary.
- Allow the scallops to cook for 1-2 minutes before checking underneath them to see how brown they have become. If they are not yet well browned, continue cooking.
- When scallops are golden brown on one side, flip them.
- Allow the scallops to cook on the second side while monitoring their temperature with a fast and accurate thermometer like the Thermapen.
- Once the lowest measured temperature in each scallop reaches 115°F (46°C), remove it from the pan and set aside on a platter. Repeat until all the scallops are fully cooked, rinsing the pan between batches.
Make the sauce:
- Pour out the excess oil from the pan and place it over heat again.
- Add the fine shallot, the capers, and the lemon zest. Sauté for a few moments to slightly color the shallot.
- Carefully pour the wine into the pan to deglaze it.
- Simmer the wine down to about a tablespoon of liquid
- Add the brown butter, pepper, and salt to taste. Let this cook for just a few moments and pour into a container.
- Plate the scallops and drizzle with the sauces, being sure each dish gets some capers. Serve!