Best Seared Scallops With Roasted Eggplants And Marinated Peppers Recipes

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• To prepare the roasted red pepper sauce, place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few minutes until completely smooth; pour the sauce into a squeeze bottle or spoon into a serving dish, and keep room temp or in the fridge. (Any unused portion will last for a couple of weeks in the fridge, and is delicious over chicken, beef, shrimp, or veggies.)
• To sear the scallops, place a large cast-iron or other heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, and add in the avocado oil and the clarified (or regular) butter; once melted and the skillet it very hot and pretty much smoking, season the scallops with some sea salt, and working in batches if necessary, place the scallops larger flat-side down into the skillet.
• Do not disturb the scallops for about 2 1/2 minutes, allowing that first side to get a nice, deep brown char; then, flip the scallops over and allow them to sear, undisturbed, on that second side for about 1 1/2 minutes, or until a golden crust forms on that side and the scallops are medium-rare and slightly firm yet tender when gently pressed.
• Remove the scallops from the skillet and place onto a large platter to hold. Repeat with another batch, if necessary.
• To serve, add a couple of generous spoonfuls of the roasted red pepper sauce to the bottom of a plate, and top with 3 scallops; sprinkle over a small amount of the toasted pine nuts as well as some pretty micro greens, and serve while hot. (Alternately, you can spoon or drizzle some of the sauce over top of the scallops, then top with pine nuts and micro greens.)

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.

SIMPLY SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Pat sea scallops dry with paper towels. Season with some lemon juice, salt, and pepper on one side.
• Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over high heat. Place scallops in the skillet seasoned-side down. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Season with remaining lemon juice, salt, and pepper; flip. Continue cooking until opaque, about 2 minutes more. Garnish with lemon zest.

SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place a layer of paper towels on top of a large plate or baking sheet and gently lay the sea scallops on top to rid them of any excess moisture. With the scallops still on the paper towel, grab a large pinch of kosher salt and sprinkle it from a foot or more over the scallops. The height will help distribute the salt evenly.
• Use a pepper grinder to crack fresh black pepper in the same manner, getting every scallop.
• Flip the scallops and season the other side. This is important!
• Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed stainless-steel saute pan over high heat. Do not use nonstick-you'll never achieve the proper caramelization!
• Wait.
• Wait.
• Watch as the pan begins to smoke.
• Now, carefully, because the pan and oil are very hot, use tongs or your fingers to place each scallop individually in the pan, leaving room between them. Once the scallops are in the pan, do not move them or the pan or turn the heat down. You're going to want to, because the pan will be hot and splattering and smoking, but resist! You're getting your hard sear. Don't interfere or the scallops will stick.
• After 2 minutes, use a spatula or tongs to gently turn one of the scallops and assess how dark the sear is. If it's dark brown and caramelized, it's ready to be flipped and seared on the other side for at least 2 minutes more to achieve an identical sear.
• When the scallops have been flipped and seared on both sides, they're fully cooked and ready to eat. Remove them from the pan using tongs or a spatula. Add the butter to the pan and a squeeze of lemon juice and scrape up the bit on the pan to create a sauce. Serve the scallops hot and topped with the pan sauce and another squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH ROASTED EGGPLANTS AND MARINATED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Arrange the oven rack in the lowest position. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Use a fork to poke holes all over the eggplants. Put the eggplants on a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven. Roast, turning occasionally, until the skins are charred and the eggplants are very soft, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the eggplants and cut in quarters lengthwise. Cut each piece in half crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the oil, a pinch of chile flakes, and a pinch of salt. Gently stir well.
• Turn a gas burner to high. Set the peppers directly over the flame and cook, turning frequently, until the skin is charred all over. Alternatively, broil or grill the peppers as close to the heat source as possible. When cool enough to handle, use paper towels to rub off the charred skin. Remove and discard the stems and seeds, then cut each pepper into very thin slices. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the lime juice, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir well.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Season half the scallops with salt and pepper. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan, then add the seasoned scallops, one at a time. Cook until a golden brown crust forms on the bottom, 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully flip and cook until a crust forms on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining scallops in the same pan, letting the pan get very hot again and adding more oil if needed.
• Divide the eggplant mixture among 4 serving dishes. Top with the scallops, then the pepper mixture. Scatter the dill all over.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH SWEET ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler or prepare a charcoal grill.
• Place the peppers under the broiler or on the grill. Cook them on all sides until the skin is well charred. When cool enough to handle, split the peppers in half, core them and discard the charred skin and the seeds. Rinse in cold water. Pat dry with papers towels and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Remove and discard the ends of the snap peas.
• Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the peas, cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the scallops, the red peppers, shallots, garlic, thyme, pepper flakes, liqueur, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring and tossing over high heat for 4 minutes or until the scallops are cooked through. Do not overcook. Sprinkle with the coriander.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH GINGER-LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and wrap them tightly in foil. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (If you are using larger sweet potatoes, they may require 15 minutes more in the oven.)
• Using a paring knife, remove the small hard "foot" from the edge of each scallop. Pat scallops dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Put on a medium pot of salted water to boil for the greens.
• Meanwhile, make the ginger butter: Combine butter, ginger, chile and lime zest and juice and stir together until well incorporated. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
• Take a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the scallops without crowding and place over medium-high heat. Add a film of olive oil. When the oil is nearly smoking, add the scallops in one layer and let them sizzle. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for at least 5 minutes. Use a small spatula to check the scallops as they brown, allowing them to color gradually. They should be quite crisp and well caramelized. Turn off heat and flip scallops. Leave in pan until firm to the touch.
• While the scallops are cooking, blanch the bok choy: Cook it for 1 minute in the salted boiling water, then drain and blot on a kitchen towel. Keep warm.
• Remove and place scallops, browned side up, onto warmed serving plates. Surround with the bok choy leaves and halved or sliced sweet potatoes.
• Quickly warm the butter in the cast-iron pan and spoon over everything. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, oregano, thyme and lemon pepper. Roll scallops in flour mixture until lightly coated on all sides.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet or frying pan over high heat. Add 4 scallops to the pan and sear on all sides (about 2 minutes for each side). After turning scallops, add 1 tablespoon parsley and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Remove scallops from pan and place on a plate in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
• Repeat until remaining scallops are cooked, tossing each batch with parsley and lemon juice.