Charred Lemon Butter Scallops
Twenty minutes, one skillet, and the hardest part is leaving the scallops alone long enough to build a crust.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Makes
- 2 servings
What you need
- 1 lb dry-packed sea scallops (U-10 or U-12)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 sprigs thyme
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Flaky salt and parsley, to finish
Method
-
Dry the scallops
Pull off the small side muscle, then press the scallops between paper towels for a full 10 minutes. Wet scallops steam; dry scallops sear. Season with salt just before they hit the pan.
-
Char the lemon
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high with no oil. Lay the lemon halves cut-side down and leave them for 3 minutes until deeply browned. Set aside.
-
Sear
Add the oil to the same pan and heat until it shimmers. Lay the scallops down in a single ring, leaving space between them, and do not touch them for 2 minutes. Flip once when the bottom is golden.
-
Baste
Drop in the butter, garlic and thyme. Tilt the pan and spoon the foaming butter over the scallops for 45 seconds. They are done when the sides look opaque and the centers still give slightly.
-
Finish
Squeeze the charred lemon over the pan, swirl, and plate immediately with the pan butter poured over. Flaky salt and parsley on top.
Buy dry, not wet
Wet-packed scallops are treated with sodium tripolyphosphate, hold water, and will not brown no matter how hot your pan is. Ask the fish counter for dry-packed and they will know exactly what you mean.