Seared Scallops with Brown Butter & Lemon Pan Sauce
Seared Scallops with Brown Butter & Lemon Pan Sauce
Scallops are always a stunner, but these are dead simple to make: Juice lemons - Spoon out capers - Heat pan - Cook scallops - Make sauce in same pan - Serve.
Ready in: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Complexity: very-easy
kcal: 445
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Ingredients
3 lemons
Small handful of chives
12 large dry sea scallops
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
rice bran oil
3 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
2 tsp drained capers
Directions
Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring glass or small bowl - you should have ¼ cup juice. Set aside.
Using a paring knife, cut ends off remaining lemon to expose flesh. Upend lemon on a cut end and remove peel and white pith from lemons and discard. Cut between membranes to release segments into bowl with juice then squeeze membranes to get any last drops of juice. Fish out any seeds, then set aside.
Thinly slice chives and place in a small bowl and set aside.
Pull side muscle off scallops and pat dry. Season lightly on both sides with SIDS SALT & PEPPER.
Heat a large frypan, preferably stainless steel, over medium-high. Pour in oil to lightly coat surface (2–3 tbsp), heat until it shimmers and you see first wisps of smoke. Swiftly place scallops into skillet, flat side down, and cook without touching, tossing, or fussing until underside is deep golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Use a thin spatula or tongs to gently turn over. If they resist, cook another 30 seconds and try again. Cook on second side until flesh at top and bottom looks opaque but there is still a faintly translucent strip in the middle, 1–2 minutes, depending on size. Transfer scallops to a plate.
Pour off any oil in skillet and set over medium heat. Add butter and cook, swirling, until butter foams, then browns, about 2 minutes. Add reserved lemon juice and segments and energetically stir and swirl pan to emulsify sauce. Mix in capers and reserved chives then spoon pan sauce around and over scallops.