Pan Seared Scallops With Creamy Pesto Sauce Recipes

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS OVER PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a non-stick skillet or frying pan, heat olive oil over moderately high heat until very hot.
• Season the scallops with toasted sesame ginger seasonings (or with salt and pepper).
• Add the scallops to the pan and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms get browned.
• Drizzle on top with soy sauce. Then add the butter to the scallops.
• Turn and cook until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice on top while cooking. Then turn them over again to cook for about another minute or so. About 3 minutes per side.
• Arrange dinner plates with a tablespoon of warm basil pesto sauce in the center of each plate.
• Lay 3 or 4 scallops on each plate. Optional: Add fresh cracked pepper on top.
• Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
• Serves 3 to 4 ( with 3 or 4 scallops per serving)

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Dry the scallops with paper towel to make sure there is no excess water. Sprinkle pinch of salt and pepper on each scallops on both sides.
• Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add the scallops and sear for about 2 minutes, until nice and gold. Using a tong, flip the scallops. If it's stuck to the bottom, don't force and cook a little longer. When it's ready, it should un-stick easily. Cook for 1-2 minutes on other side. Be careful not to overcook the scallops, which will toughen the scallops. Remove the scallops onto the warm plate. Set aside.
• Remove the skillet from heat and add pesto and heavy cream. Swirl the pan to mix the sauce.

SCALLOPS WITH PESTO CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Season scallops with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and add scallops. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Add pesto and capers; mix well. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and serve.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH MOREL CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the scallops on both sides with the salt and white pepper. Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place the scallops in the pan and saute for 2 minutes on the first side. Add the butter, placing the cubes in different parts of the pan. Cook the scallops for 1 minute longer, then turn and cook on the second side for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the parsley and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Serve the scallops by dividing the sauce between 4warmed, shallow bowls and place 3 scallops in the center of each bowl. Garnish with the remaining parsley.
• 4 servings
• In a 1-cup heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl, place the morels and pour 3/4 cup of hot water over them, being sure that the mushrooms are submerged in the water. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. Remove from the water; rinse the morels under cool water, dice into 1/4-inch rings, set aside and reserve. Strain the remaining soaking water through cheesecloth and reserve separately.
• In a 1-quart saucepan, add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the reserved sliced morels, the shallots, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the white wine and balsamic vinegar and reduce until nearly dry, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom broth and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Swirl the remaining butter into the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Set aside on a low heat until ready to use. (Do not allow sauce to boil or it will separate.)

QUICK PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; cook and stir until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in lemon juice and cook until evaporated, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits, about 3 minutes.
• Place scallops 1/2 inch apart in the skillet. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip and continue cooking until the second side is deeply browned, about 1 minute more.
• Transfer scallops to a serving plate; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY PESTO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook the scallops 4 minutes until golden and barely opaque in centers. Remove to plate.
• Remove skillet from heat, add pesto and cream and stir quickly to blend.
• Spoon the sauce onto serving plates and top with the scallops.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the scallops to skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more oil to the skillet as needed. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges on the side.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut 2 tablespoons of the butter into pea-sized pieces, put it on a small plate, and stick it in the freezer. Heat a large skillet over medium-heat high for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the olive oil and wait for the butter to melt.
• Pat the scallops dry with paper towels, add them to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper; work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the skillet. Cook, turning once, until they are well browned on both sides but not quite cooked through, 2 minutes per side (less if the scallops are under 1 inch across; more if they're over). Transfer the scallops to a plate.
• Stir in the garlic, lemon juice, and wine and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet with a spatula. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the liquid in the skillet thickens, a minute or two, then whisk in the butter you chilled in the freezer, one bit at a time, to make a creamy sauce, adding another tablespoon or two of liquid if necessary.
• Return the scallops to the skillet and add the chives. Adjust the heat so the sauce bubbles gently and toss to coat the scallops with the sauce. To serve, transfer the scallops to a platter and spoon the sauce over all.
• Variation:
• Seared Scallops With Cherry Tomatoes and Basil: Skip the lemon juice. Cut 1 pint cherry tomatoes in half. Add the tomatoes with the garlic and wine and cook until they wrinkle a bit and release their juice, 2 or 3 minutes. Use chopped fresh basil leaves instead of chives.
• Cooks' Notes
• Releasing From The Pan: The scallops will offer no resistance when they're ready to turn. Press down gently while the scallops cook to encourage full contact with the pan, then listen for a hiss: That's moisture heating and evaporating.
• Getting A Good Sear: The idea is to brown the scallops well on both sides without overcooking them, so keep the heat as high as you can without creating too much smoke.
• Building Sauce With Butter: After you add the liquid and deglaze the pan, the addition of butter develops fantastic creaminess and richness.
• Finishing The Dish: As soon as the scallops are cooked through completely and coated with the sauce, remove the pan from the heat; they will continue to cook. Nick-and-peek into one if you need to check for doneness.