Are you planning on dining in instead of facing the crowds this New Years Eve? Have you been searching for a special dish to serve for an intimate dinner party or a romantic dinner for two? Well look no more this is it!
Sweet and delicate, melt in your mouth seared scallops topped with a flavored butter that’s infused with the zest of lemon, shallot, garlic and a hint of spicy chili.
The recipe itself is fairly simple to pull together, it’s basically all about the infused butter that will anoint the seared scallops with so much flavor, but equally as important are the steps you take to properly cook the scallops. It’s critical to avoid over cooking them, if you do they’ll become tasteless and rubbery and that would be such a waste!
In this recipe you’ll be using the large sea scallops, the smaller bay scallops are not what you want to be using here at all.
This could be the perfect first course with one scallop presented dramatically on baking sea shells, (Amazon). If you’re doing this for a main course you can use pretty gratin dishes.
As far as servings go, for a main I would say 4-5 per person because you’ll be having some sides with it. Scallops pair wonderfully with any green veggie and if you want some starch I like to serve maybe some couscous, garlic mashed potatoes or creamy polenta.
Grab a bottle of champagne, make this “fancy” dish and ring in the New Year at home!
Wishing you all a very healthy and happy 2019, thank you for all your support throughout the year I appreciate each and everyone of you, you’re the best! xo
You can follow me on Instagram to see what else I’m cooking up during the week.
- 1 dozen large sea scallops, side mussel removed and patted completely dry
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 small garlic cloves grated on a microplane
- 1 fresh red chili, veins and seeds removed and finely diced ( if you like it hotter add more)
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- zest of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for garnish, finely chopped
- Heat you oven to 400F.
- Mix by hand in a bowl the softened butter with the garlic, zest, chili and shallot, taste for salt and pepper addition and set aside. Butter can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.
- Heat up a good non stick skillet on medium high heat until its screeching hot, making sure it's big enough so scallops have room and don't touch at all, you might have to do them in batches if your skillet isn't big enough to give them room.
- While skillet is heating up salt and pepper each side of the scallops.
- When you think the skillet is hot enough drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of the pan, when it starts to slightly smoke add the scallops and press them down gently on one side.
- Don't touch them or move them until you see a deep crust forming, then peek and check them out using tongs.
- When you see a deep crust take them out and place them crust side up in your gratin dish or baking shells.
- Add a good dollop of the infused butter on top, place them into the oven just so the butter melts down.
- Take them out, let rest a second, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
