Best Seared Clams With Brown Butter Recipes

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.

MUSSELS AND CLAMS WITH SIZZLING BROWN BUTTER AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Wash clams well. Wash mussels, making sure to remove and discard their beards. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in each of 2 large cast iron frying pans over high heat. Add clams and half the thyme to 1 of the pans; add mussels and half of the thyme to the other pan; cook for 1 minute. Divide butter and capers between the 2 pans. Continue cooking clams and mussels for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they open.
• To serve, place clams mussels and the butter in which they cooked in a warmed serving bowl and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Serve with bread on the side, to soak up the butter at the bottom of the bowl.

RAZOR CLAMS SEARED WITH BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Put butter in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it smells fragrant and turns nut-brown. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and set aside.
• Put a large griddle or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When very hot, slick with olive oil. Place clams, hinge-side down if possible, on pan. Cook about 5 minutes, until clams open. Turn clams over and cook until the meat just starts to brown. You may need to do this in two shifts, or in two pans. Transfer clams to serving platter. Reheat butter, stir in chives and pepper and spoon over clams.