Perfect Seared Scallops Recipe
Perfectly tender scallops with a golden crust every time, this scallops recipe is sure to impress, complete with a stunningly beautiful, restaurant-quality basil and sweet pea purée!
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds fresh sea scallops
- 4 tablespoons butter or avocado oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Basil Pea Purée Sauce
- 1 pound frozen peas
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 small sweet onion roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves packed
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the purée, add frozen peas to a small pot with about 1 ½ inches of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then maintain a simmer (over medium heat) for just 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Immediately drain peas and rinse them under cool water in a colander to stop the cooking process and keep them bright green.
- Add the drained peas, broth, onion, garlic, basil, ¼ cup avocado oil, and a generous amount of salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, scrapping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
- For the scallops, peel off the side muscles (the small, tough flap on the side of each scallop). Gently pat the scallops dry with a paper towel.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Then add 2 tablespoons butter (or avocado oil if preferred, although the sear won’t be as golden!). Once melted, immediately add half of the scallops in a single layer.
- Set timer for 90 seconds. After 90 seconds, flip scallops to the other side and sear for 30-60 more seconds. The scallops are done when they golden brown and still “jiggle” slightly when poked but not as “jiggly” as raw scallops.
- Immediately remove the scallops from the pan onto a clean plate.
- Rinse your pan (repeat batches in the same butter or oil won’t taste good). Repeat steps #5-7 for the second batch.
- Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Gently warm basil pea sauce in the microwave if desired (60-90 seconds). Serve scallops on a bed of the purée. Enjoy right away!
Video
Notes
- Depending on the exact size of your sea scallops, 1 ½ pounds = 15-25 sea scallops which makes roughly 4 servings.
- The amount of purée is enough for up to 1 ½ pounds of scallops. Feel free to halve the recipe if you don’t need as many scallops!It’s okay if the scallops are labelled as previously frozen when you buy them as long as they are not frozen when you buy them.
- The cooking times are for sea scallops, not diver or bay scallops (which are larger and smaller).
- Sprinkle some diced bacon or pancetta over the top for an indulgent, smoky-meaty touch!
- You can make the purée up to 3 days in advance, gently reheating in the microwave, but the scallops are best enjoyed right away!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1391IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3mg