Instructions
A Seafood Charlie Recipe
Prep Time: 10 Mins
Cook Time: 5 Mins
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 small shallot, minced (2 tablespoons)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
4 tsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lb fresh dry or frozen (thawed) large sea scallops, patted dry
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 package (5 ounces) spring mix salad greens
1 can (11 ounces) Mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
Directions
1. In small bowl, whisk together shallot, 1/3 cup oil, vinegar, tarragon and mustard; set aside. In large nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add scallops to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.
2. To serve, arrange salad greens on each of 4 dinner plates; top with scallops and orange segments. With spoon, pour vinaigrette over salads to serve.
Enjoy!
How to prepare scallops
Try to find scallops without the bright orange or coral colored crescent-shaped part still attached (or roe). The orange part can be a little bitter, however some people do like this part of the scallop. It’s personal preference. If you can only find them with the roe attached, you can pull it off and discard it. If you have bought whole scallops, you will need to remove that and the muscle that attaches the scallop to the shell. For this reason, we buy frozen wild caught scallops without the roe.
How to thaw scallops
- Thaw scallops in a bowl of cold water for about 10-20 minutes until thawed completely, or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make sure to thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel to absorb all the liquid before searing.
How to cook scallops
Understanding how quickly scallops cook means you’ll never be intimidated again! They only take four to five minutes to cook — that’s it! You’ll have no chance of messing them up from now on. Guaranteed.
- Heat an oiled skillet or pan until it’s sizzling. Key step right here. You want them to sizzle and crisp to a golden color on the outside.
- The first scallop should sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. If it doesn’t, wait and let the pan continue heating before adding any more.
- Use a large pan to avoid over crowding, or cook in batches to make sure they are at least 1-inch apart.
- Sear them without moving them for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Done!
INGREDIENTS
- 2Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4pounds (600 grams) scallops
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4-5large garlic cloves, minced (or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic)
- Salt and fresh ground black pepperto taste
- 1/4cup dry white wine or broth
- 2tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4cup chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- If scallops are frozen, thaw in cold water. Remove the side muscle from the scallops if attached. Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot and sizzling. Add the scallops in a single layer without over crowding the pan (work in batches if needed).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and fry for 2-3 minutes on one side (until a golden crust forms underneath), then flip and fry again for 2 minutes until crisp, lightly browned and cooked through (opaque). Remove from skillet and transfer to a plate.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, scraping up any browned bits left over from the scallops. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (1 minute).
- Pour in wine (or broth) and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes or until wine reduces by about half. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and lemon juice.
- Remove pan (skillet) from the heat; add the scallops back into the pan to warm through slightly and garnish with parsley.
- Serve over rice, pasta, garlic bread or steamed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini noodles).
