Scallops are, by far, one of my favorite food splurges. They’re so decadent and simple. And when it comes to seafood, I love nothing more than a properly cooked scallop; crusty, tender, salty, and sweet. Literally a perfect bite. The best way to convert a non-scallop eater to the winning team is to make them a perfectly cooked scallop: not rubbery, not tough, and definitely not sad. I first learned how to properly sear scallops on the line and it became one of my favorite dishes to make during my stints of cooking jobs over the years. To be honest, I haven’t cooked or eaten a scallop since my last day before the pandemic went bananas and we started shutting everything down: March 13th, 2020.

Trying to handle and navigate the everyday stresses of the current state of the world, it’s easy to see why I’ve been craving some sort of sense of normalcy. And to me, a pre-covid afternoon of normalcy was being at work, prepping my station, cleaning scallops, and cooking. So, that’s what I did as a treat to myself the other week. It’s all about the self-care, kids.

This post isn’t much of a recipe but it serves more as a teaching moment for the technique of searing scallops. Searing a beautiful scallop is nothing to be intimidated by because once you learn the how and why behind it, you’ll be able to get them right each and every single time! Let’s get cooking!

Brown Butter Seared Scallops

Serves: 2

Cook time: 10 minutes

6-8 dry-packed scallops, abductor muscle removed, patted very dry (see note)

Sea salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

Canola oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Lemon, optional

Favorite cooked vegetable or grain, for serving

Note: scallops are normally sold wet-packed, which means that when they were shucked, they were stored in cold water. When scallops are wet-packed, they tend to absorb the water and risk the chance of being too tough when cooked. Personally, I prefer dry packed since they’re often of higher quality and are fresher at the point of sale. I get mine from my local fish monger. If you’re only able to find wet-packed scallops, don’t fret. The prep is a little longer to get the right end result. When you get home, drain any excess water and place the scallops on a paper towel lined plate. Then, cover them with another layer of paper towels and press down to soak up any excess fluid. Discard the wet towels and replace with a fresh layer. Refrigerate the scallops overnight to let them dry out as much as you can. Then, proceed with the recipe.

In a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat, add just enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil starts to ripple and slightly smoke, sprinkle each side of the scallops with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Gently place the scallops in the pan and sear the scallops in small batches, making sure not to crowd the pan (I normally sear four to five at a time, depending on the size of the scallops).

Don’t move the scallops at all until a golden crust forms on the bottom of the scallop, right at about 3 minutes. If you aren’t able to easily flip the scallops over, don’t move them. That means the scallop hasn’t developed a good crust yet. Gently flip the scallops over using a fish spatula or large spoon, add the butter, and finish cooking the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Baste with butter as needed to melt, remove the scallops from the pan, and pour some of butter over the scallops to your liking. If you happen to miss an abductor muscle from cleaning (like pictured below, ha!), no worries. Just gently remove it before serving.

Keep in mind that if you’re planning on doubling this recipe and have to cook the scallops in more than one or two batches, make sure to clean out your pan in between cooking them. Burnt butter gets very bitter and its taste will just ruin all the hard work you spent doing.

If you’re going to enjoy your scallops with a vegetable or grain, it’s crucial to make sure those items are cooked first and kept warm for serving since the scallops cook so quickly. For my plate, I served my scallops with some simple sautéed leeks since I wanted a something with a little bite without too much fuss. Leeks are mild in flavor and pair well with seafood. For the leeks, I cleaned and cut one large leek into half-moons and sautéed it in some butter and seasoned it with kosher salt and black pepper until soft and tender. When the sliced leeks simmer in the butter, they get a little sweet and oniony in flavor. And honestly? It’s my favorite way to enjoy them at home, especially with some amazing scallops. It’s such a decadent yet normal little meal and just what I needed that week.

¡Buen provecho!