SEA SCALLOPS WITH NUTS

Sea Scallops with Nuts image

If you can find the rare (and shockingly expensive) true bay scallops from Nantucket or Long Island, by all means use them in this dish, but reduce the cooking time. Do not, however, try this dish with the tiny calico scallops (sometimes mislabeled as bays), which, despite your best efforts, will overcook before they brown.

Yield makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
About 1 1/2 pounds sea scallops
Salt
Pinch of cayenne
1/3 cup roughly chopped skin-on almonds, pecans, or walnuts
3/4 cup dry white or red wine
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Steps:

Put the oil and half the butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and a bit of cayenne. When the butter foam subsides, add the scallops to the skillet, one at a time (or all at once if you're using bay scallops), and turn the heat to high. Cook for about 2 minutes or until brown on one side, then turn and brown the other side for another minute or two. (Scallops are best when rare in the center; if you like them more well done, cook for another couple of minutes.)
Transfer the scallops to a plate and keep warm. Add the nuts to the skillet and, still over high heat, cook, stirring, until dark brown, just a minute or two. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a syrup, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter; when it has thickened the sauce, pour over the scallops, garnish if you like, and serve.
A word about buying scallops: Many are dipped in a chemical solution to prolong their shelf life. Not coincidentally, this soaking causes them to absorb water, which increases their weight and-water being cheaper than scallops-decreases their value. Furthermore, the added water makes browning more difficult. You can recognize processed scallops by their stark white color; in addition, they are usually sitting in liquid at the store. Buy dry, beige (or slightly pink or orange) scallops from a reliable fishmonger and you won't have a problem.
Many cooks remove the tough little hinge present on one side of most scallops before cooking. But when you're stuffing scallops, leave it on and cut from the side directly opposite. The hinge will then serve the purpose of holding the scallop together and can be removed at the table or eaten; it's slightly tough, but not unpleasant.