Scallops cooked with butter and lemon is a classic dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main course. The tender scallops are seared in hot butter until golden brown then finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. This simple dish allows the natural flavors of the scallops to shine through, and it can be easily customized to your liking. Serve scallops with a side of rice, pasta, or vegetables for a complete meal. For a more elegant presentation, you can sear the scallops in a scallop shell.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
EASY GARLIC-LEMON SCALLOPS
Steps:
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few seconds until fragrant. Add scallops, and cook for several minutes on one side, then turn over, and continue cooking until firm and opaque.
- Remove scallops to a platter, then whisk salt, pepper, and lemon juice into butter. Pour sauce over scallops to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 408 calories, Carbohydrate 8.9 g, Cholesterol 152.4 mg, Fat 24.4 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 38.5 g, SaturatedFat 14.6 g, Sodium 987.9 mg, Sugar 0.2 g
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER AND LEMON PAN SAUCE
Juice lemons. Spoon out capers. Heat pan. Cook scallops. Make sauce in same pan. Serve.
Provided by Carla Lalli Music
Categories Bon Appétit Dinner Quick & Easy Seafood Shellfish Scallop Chive Capers Lemon
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
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.
PAN-SEARED LEMON AND GARLIC SCALLOPS
Scallops have a reputation for being hard to cook correctly, but this recipe is really fast, easy, and oh so tasty. The key is high heat for the sear, a good nonstick pan, and clarified butter. Pairs well with risotto.
Provided by Brian Genest
Categories Seafood Shellfish Scallops
Time 1h20m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Place scallops in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Cover and let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Combine 5 tablespoons warm butter, lemon juice, and garlic in a bowl; whisk until combined. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- At the same time, remove scallops from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, making sure it does not smoke. Brush scallops with garlic mixture and add to the pan. Cook until the bottoms begin to sear and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops, brush with garlic mixture, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove scallops from the heat and let them continue to cook while they rest, off the heat, for 5 more minutes. Plate and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 675.1 calories, Carbohydrate 10.1 g, Cholesterol 232.4 mg, Fat 52.5 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 42.5 g, SaturatedFat 31.7 g, Sodium 1647.9 mg, Sugar 0.4 g
BUTTERY SCALLOPS WITH LEMON AND HERBS
Simple and very speedy, this dish shows off the sweetness and delicacy of fresh sea scallops, seasoned with only lemon, garlic, herbs and a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes. A little butter gives it a touch of richness, while the grated lemon zest adds brightness and a jolt of acid. You can serve this with a big green salad for a light meal, or over buttered noodles or mashed potatoes for something more substantial.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories quick, seafood, main course
Time 15m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Season scallops lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 3 tablespoons butter and let melt. Place seasoned scallops in the pan in a single layer without touching. (Do this in batches if necessary, using another tablespoon of butter if needed for the second batch.) Cook without moving until bottoms are golden brown, 3 minutes.
- Flip the scallops and add another tablespoon of butter to the pan. Stir in garlic and thyme, and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
- If you took any of the scallops out of the pan to cook them in batches, put them back in now. Pour lemon juice on top of all the scallops, sprinkle with the lemon zest, and toss everything gently to combine.
- Transfer scallops to serving plates and sprinkle red-pepper flakes on top. Garnish with chopped soft herbs and lemon wedges, and serve immediately.
SEA SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, CAPERS AND LEMON
This bright yet rich treatment for scallops came to The Times in a 2009 article about Kevin Zraly, the wine director of Windows on the World from 1976 to 2001. Mr. Zraly turned the restaurant into an international wine mecca: at the time it was destroyed, when the World Trade Center fell, its cellar held close to 100,000 bottles of 1,500 labels. Mr. Zraly and Michael Lomonaco, the chef at the restaurant (both of whom were not at work on Sept. 11 when the planes hit), worked together on hundreds of wine and food pairings throughout the years. This was Mr. Zraly's favorite of Mr. Lomonaco's creations. With it, he recommends a Puligny Montrachet, Olivier Leflaive.
Provided by Alex Witchel
Categories easy, quick, appetizer, main course
Time 15m
Yield 4 appetizer servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
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.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 255, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 400 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams
LEMON BUTTERED SEARED SCALLOPS
Provided by Valerie Bertinelli
Categories main-dish
Time 55m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
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.
SAUTEED BAY SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER
Provided by Food Network
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Choose a saute pan large enough to hold all of the scallops in one layer without overcrowding the pan or without them touching each other. Cook in batches if necessary. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter until nearly smoking. Add the scallops and do not move or shake pan, but allow the scallops to brown well on one side before tossing the pan to flip them or gently turning them with a spatula to cook the second side.
- Remove the scallops from the pan and place on a warm serving platter. Return the pan in which the scallops had been cooked to the fire, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sweet butter, and cook until the butter begins to turn a light brown color. When the butter has browned to a hazelnut color add the lemon juice and chopped parsley.
- Pour the classic lemon butter over the scallops, garnish with heart-shaped croutons and serve promptly.
PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER
Pan-seared scallops make a restaurant-worthy meal, and they're easy to make at home.
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Dinner
Time 15m
Yield 12 to 16 scallops
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Remove the tiny, tough side muscle where sand can hide and rinse the scallops if necessary (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed). Dry the scallops very well with a paper towel, as moisture can impede browning.
- Heat a large cast iron pan or thick-bottom nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. (Heat two pans if necessary to keep scallops from crowding.) Add the olive oil and ½ tablespoon of the butter, and swirl to coat the pan. Place the scallops in the pan and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Sear on the first side, without touching or flipping, for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Using tongs, turn the scallops over, season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and sear for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through.
- Move the scallops to a plate. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 3½ tablespoons butter to the skillet. As the butter is melting, add the lemon juice and swirl the pan a few times, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the scallops back in the skillet, baste with the sauce to warm, and then divide onto 4 plates, using all the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
- Note: When purchasing scallops, look for the "dry" or "dry-packed" variety. Some scallops on the market are dipped in a solution to extend shelf life. The scallops end up absorbing the water in the solution, increasing the price and causing the scallops to leak moisture when cooked (which will keep them from developing a beautifully caramelized exterior). Quality seafood markets typically carry dry scallops but don't usually label them; if you're uncertain of what to buy, ask your fishmonger.
- Variation: For even more flavor, you can brown the butter to make a brown butter lemon sauce. Before cooking the scallops, start the sauce by adding 3½ tablespoons of the butter to a small, thick-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. You will notice foaming and then milk particles will begin to drop to the bottom. When the butter turns golden and starts to smell nutty, it's done. Set aside for a minute or two. Strain through the finest strainer you have to remove the brown bits. (It's called "brown butter," but a key to browning butter is to remove when it is golden, before it paradoxically turns brown and burns.) Set the strained butter aside and proceed with the recipe, adding the browned butter to the pan after cooking the scallops.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 4 scallops, Calories 202, Fat 15 g, Carbohydrate 4 g, Protein 12 g, SaturatedFat 8 g, Sugar 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sodium 394 mg, Cholesterol 55 mg
SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS AND LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
I love scallops! Serve these as a nice first course or a light main dish. The cook time does not take into account that some things can be done simultaneously.
Provided by Normaone
Categories Spring
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water.
- Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until leeks are tender, stirring now and then.
- Season and set aside.
- Can be made a day in advance.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- In a large saucepan, boil vermouth, shallots, lemon juice,and thyme 25 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup.
- Strain sauce and set aside.
- Season scallops.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute scallops about 3 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Keep warm.
- In a skillet over medium heat, rewarm the leek mixture, stirring now and then.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, gradually add the 1/2 c butter a piece or two at a time, whisking until melted.
- Remove from heat and season.
- Spoon leek mixture onto plates.
- Spoon warm scallops onto leeks.
- Drizzle sauce over scallops and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes.
- Serve.
Tips:
- Choose the freshest scallops you can find. Fresh scallops should be plump, white, and have a slightly briny smell. Avoid scallops that are slimy or have a strong fishy odor.
- Sear the scallops over high heat. This will help to create a nice crust on the outside while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
- Be careful not to overcook the scallops. They should be cooked through but still slightly translucent in the center.
- Season the scallops simply. A little bit of salt, pepper, and lemon juice is all you need to bring out their natural flavor.
- Serve the scallops immediately. They are best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the pan.
Conclusion:
Scallops are a delicious and versatile seafood that can be cooked in a variety of ways. Whether you are grilling, pan-frying, or baking them, there are a few things you can do to ensure that your scallops turn out perfectly every time. By following the tips above, you can create a delicious and memorable scallop dish that will impress your friends and family.
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