Seared Scallops With Brown Butter Recipes

SEARED BAY SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER EMULSION

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the vinegar in a medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer , stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced to 1/2 cup, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a small bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Place the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, and allow it to melt and turn light brown.
• Remove the butter from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Gradually whisk the browned butter into the reduced balsamic vinegar .
• Whisk in the soy sauce and season with pepper to taste.
• Reserve the emulsion at room temperature.
• Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season them with the salt and pepper.
• Coat the bottom of 2 large skillets with clarified butter (see recipe to make it below). Place the pans over a medium-high flame and heat until the butter is nearly smoking.
• Divide the scallops between the pans; do not shake the pans or move the scallops around. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and add a little more clarified butter to each pan.
• Cook the scallops until they are deeply brown on one side, about 3 minutes.
• Turn the scallops over, and add a sprig of thyme and a clove of garlic to each pan. Allow the scallops to brown slightly on the other side, continuously basting them with the hot butter, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer the scallops to a platter with a slotted spoon and reserve in a warm place.
• Add the 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and scrape with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits; remove the pan from the heat when the butter is completely melted.
• Pour an equal portion of the emulsion onto each plate in a wide stripe down the center.
• Place an equal portion of scallops, browned-side up, in the center of each plate, spoon the pan drippings around, and serve immediately.
• Cut the butter into 1/2-inch slices and place it in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and then come to a boil; this should take about 5 minutes.
• Skim off any foam that rises to the top. The butter should sizzle and crackle; throughout the process, make sure the heat is never so high that the bottom of the pan starts to brown or blacken.
• Lower the heat to keep the butter at a slow, steady boil for another 15 minutes, continuing to skim any surface foam. The bubbles in the butter will become smaller and smaller, ultimately the size of a pinhead. Allow any residual milk solids to settle to the bottom of the pan.
• Carefully pour off the pure, clear, oily butterfat into a holding container, leaving all solids behind. (At this point, you can pass it through a tea strainer or other fine-mesh strainer just to be sure it's completely clear.)
• Allow the clarified butter to cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. Reprinted with permission from Geoffrey Zakarian's Town/Country (Clarkson Potter, 2006) Also try this Town/Country recipe: Carpaccio of Sea Scallops With Sherry Vinegar-Honey Emulsion

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER AND LEMON PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring glass or small bowl; you should have 1/4 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; discard. Cut between membranes to release segments into bowl with juice; squeeze membranes to get any last drops of juice. Fish out any seeds; set aside. Thinly slice chives and place in a small bowl; set aside.
• Pull side muscle off scallops, if needed; pat dry. Season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet, 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; energetically stir and swirl pan to emulsify sauce. Mix in capers and reserved chives and spoon pan sauce around and over scallops.

LEMON BUTTERED SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place the scallops on a paper towel-lined sheet tray and pat dry. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper.
• Preheat a large nonstick saute pan on medium-high heat, then add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the scallops and sear on one side until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently turn the scallops over and add the Lemon Butter, basting the scallops by gently spooning the melting butter over the top, for about 1 minute.
• Add the wine and lemon juice and allow the scallops to simmer until they are cooked through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the scallops to a platter and sprinkle with the chives.
• Combine the butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon the butter onto the lower third of a piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the butter and use a spatula to compress the butter into a log about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. Twist both ends of the plastic wrap to seal the butter inside. Refrigerate the butter until firm, at least 30 minutes, before using.

SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
• Add the butter and oil to a 12 to 14-inch saute pan on high heat. Salt and pepper the scallops. Once the fat begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching each other. Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. The scallops should have a 1/4-inch golden crust on each side while still being translucent in the center. Serve immediately.

SCALLOPS WITH HERBED BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper and cook until deep golden brown on 1 side, about 3 minutes. Turn scallops and add butter and herbs to pan. Continue cooking, spooning butter over scallops often, until scallops are cooked through and butter is brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes longer. Add lemon juice. Serve scallops with brown butter pan sauce.

PAN-SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH BROWNED BUTTER SAGE

Steps:

• With a paper towel, thoroughly dry all sides of scallops.
• Season all sides of scallops evenly with garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Then evenly coat all sides with flour and pat of excess flour.
• In an oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferred), heat olive oil over medium-high heat until glistening.
• Add scallops. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes and turn over when bottom edges change color 1/4 of the way up, and seared side has turned paper bag brown.
• Lower skillet to medium heat. Add butter to pan (being careful not to burn). When butter has melted and begins to foam, baste scallops with it for 1 - 3 minutes. (The butter will become amber in color. If it seems to be any darker than "amber", reduce heat a little.)
• During the last one minute of cooking time, sprinkle fresh sage into butter and allow to crisp. Scallops are done when their sides are evenly white from top to bottom (no longer opaque) or internal temperature reaches 140°F.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, CAPERS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry with paper towels, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan or nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. After 30 seconds, add scallops; do not crowd pan, work in batches if necessary. Sauté until well browned, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook other side. When second side is dark golden, transfer scallops to a platter; cover and keep warm.
• Return sauté pan to heat, add butter, and cook until it begins to foam and turn golden. Add shallot and capers, sauté for 1 minute, then add lemon juice (being careful to avoid sputtering butter) and chopped parsley.
• To serve, place 3 scallops on each of 4 warmed plates. Spoon butter, shallots and capers over scallops, and serve.

SEARED SCALLOPS IN CAPER BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Season the scallops lightly with pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foamy.
• Add the scallops to the hot butter and cook, turning, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Add the capers and cook about 30 seconds.
• Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and remove from heat.
• Salt & Pepper to taste.
• Serve the scallops sauced with the caper butter.
• Lemon wedges make a delicious garnish if you have them.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, CAPERS, AND TOASTED ALMOND SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes; set brown butter aside and let cool for 5 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring fish stock and vinegar to a boil over medium heat; cook until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in remaining 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in cooled brown butter until completely emulsified. Stir in capers, almonds, parsley, and 3/4 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Set sauce aside and keep warm.
• Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and cook until a light-brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Turn scallops and continue to cook until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Divide scallops evenly between serving plates; spoon sauce over scallops and serve immediately.