Seared scallops with lemon-butter caper sauce
Dry sea scallops seared hard for a deep golden crust, then spooned with a quick garlic, lemon and caper brown butter. Restaurant-style in 15 minutes.
- Prep
- 6 min
- Cook
- 9 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serve
- 470 kcal
Ingredients
Method
Pull off the small tough side muscle from each scallop if it's still attached. Lay the scallops on a double layer of paper towels and pat the tops very dry. Season with salt and pepper just before cooking.
Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless, not nonstick) over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.
Add the scallops flat side down with space between each one. Don't touch them: sear until a deep golden crust forms and they release easily.
Flip, add 15 g (1 tbsp) of the butter and spoon it over the scallops as they cook, until they're just firm and opaque at the center. Move to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium and add the rest of the butter. When it foams and smells nutty, add the garlic and capers and cook until the garlic is pale gold.
Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon zest and juice and the parsley. Divide the arugula between plates, add the scallops and spoon over the sauce.
Tips
- Dry scallops are the key to a good sear. "Wet" scallops are soaked in a phosphate solution, so they leak liquid and steam. If yours are wet, pat them extra dry and cook a little longer.
- Scallops are done when the sides are opaque all the way up and the center gives slightly when pressed. Overcooked, they turn rubbery fast.
- If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, sear in two batches so they don't crowd and steam.
