I've always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with scallops. I remember having them several times with my mother when I was younger - then, for several years, I decided I didn't like them. I've no idea why I decided this, there wasn't a bad experience. I just decided that they weren't to my liking.
That is, until my sister and her husband reintroduced me to them this past summer. As I've mentioned before, they delivered a beautiful little bundle of joy in June - a bundle of joy that is slowly, insidiously changing my mind on having on children. He's just so damn cute.
In celebration of his birth, and of my sister's bad-assery in delivering him like a champ, we went out to dinner to their favorite seafood restaurant in Daytona Beach. They ordered a dish of seared scallops with a mango salsa, and while I haven't yet discarded my hatred of fruit salsas, I rediscovered the joy that is the scallop.
Cooked properly they're sweet, buttery, and have the most delectable, tender texture. Plus, they're super low in calories and possess a whole host of awesome nutrients.
This preparation requires a soaking in milk which works quite well at adding just a hint more tenderness to the flesh. Remember when you're cooking scallops that they cook almost as quickly as shrimp, just a couple minutes each side and they're done - or you'll end up with a miniature, opaque hockey puck.
Scallops with a White Wine-Brown Butter Reduction
Yields 2 servings
6 large sea scallops (U10 or larger)
1 cup milk
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Soak the scallops in the milk for about 10-15 minutes, pat dry and discard the milk. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Heat up a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Dredge the scallops in the panko and place in the skillet, without touching. Cook for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown. Remove scallops from pan and add the white wine and lemon juice to deglaze. Bring to a boil and reduce to 1/3. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, cook for one minute further to brown the butter, and drizzle over the scallops. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Estimate
This is a nutritional estimate, regard it as such.
1 serving = 3 scallops, or half of recipe
148 calories
5 g carbohydrate
6 g fat
8 g protein
