Tag Archives: butter

Apr30

Seared Scallops (Finally)

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Seared Sea Scallops

I adore sea scallops and order them frequently when dining out.  I must have assumed it was an art form to get them cooked perfectly, because I’ve never wanted to try making them at home.  But a seven-year-old asking for more seafood will make you do crazy things, so I asked my daughter Samantha if she wanted to try scallops.  As it turns out, they are easier to cook than I thought.  Initially I couldn’t find a recipe for basic seared scallops (other than just cooking them in a little butter, of course), when low and behold I picked up the package of Archer Farms Sea Scallops at Target and saw the perfect Samantha-friendly recipe on the back of the bag.  She loved them.  I cut the amount of butter, salt, and sugar in half, so here is my version.

Seared Sea Scallops

1 lb wild-caught sea scallops (about 20)

2 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Drain scallops and dry on paper towels (they need to be dry to get a good sear).  Mix salt and sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle half of mixture over scallops.  Melt 1 tbsp butter over medium high heat in a large skillet (I used a cast-iron pan).  Place scallops in skillet, seasoned side down, and cook 3 minutes.  Flip scallops and sprinkle with remaining salt/sugar mixture, cooking another 3 minutes, until browned on both sides.

Remove scallops to a plate and keep warm.  Add wine to the hot pan and scrape up browned bits to create a syrup.  Turn off the heat and add remaining butter and parsley, then pour over scallops.

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Feb18

Fish Piccata and Lemony Pasta

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Flounder Piccata with Angel Hair Pasta

This would be a perfect dish to serve to a family that is trying to eat more fish — it is extremely mild with lemon and butter (I skipped the capers), and you can make it with whatever thin white flaky fish looks good at the store.  I used wild flounder, but tilapia, snapper, sole, and catfish would also be good.  I wouldn’t recommend a thick fish like halibut or cod for this recipe.  I had never actually cooked fish using this process of dredging in flour and then lightly pan frying in olive oil before, and it turned out so well.  The sauce was initially very strong with lemon, because I accidentally put the butter into the green beans instead of the fish sauce.  Those were some really delicious green beans (since I had already tossed them in olive oil and lemon juice!).

Both the Fish Piccata and the Angel Hair Pasta recipes are from Melissa d’Arabian.  You really want to serve them together as all the flavors combine so well (lemon, butter, olive oil, parmesan).  And if you keep some fish fillets in the freezer, this is a super easy dinner to throw together with things you already have on hand.  With the ingredient lists so short, these aren’t as much recipes as they are methods of cooking, but I’m thrilled to now know how to cook fish this way and the kids loved it.

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