Best 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

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.

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.

PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, HAZELNUTS AND WHITE TRUFFLE OIL WITH ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the fingerling potatoes with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the potatoes to a roasting pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Test with fork for tenderness. Remove them from oven to a bowl and set aside.
• For the asparagus: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and blanch until they become bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove and plunge into an ice bath or rinse under cold water.
• For the scallops: Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium heat until very hot and add the olive oil. Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add the scallops and saute the first side until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Turn the scallops over, and after 1 minute, add the butter and the hazelnuts. When scallops are seared, transfer them to a plate and keep warm.
• Add lemon juice to the butter and hazelnuts. When the butter has browned add the 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley. (Add 1 or 2 drops of white truffle oil to the butter, if desired.)
• Toss the potatoes and asparagus in the brown butter until heated through. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Position the scallops over the vegetables and garnish with chopped parsley. Drizzle remaining brown butter 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.