Seared Scallops with Lobster Sauce
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Some critics wince at the thought of seeing seared scallops on a menu. citing them as tired and passe. How can something that tastes and looks so good ever go out of style?
Here’s what you’ll need:
12 sea scallops
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Lobster stock (I had some from a previous recipe of bisque, recipe to come)
½ cup heavy cream
splash of cognac
The side of the scallop has a small muscle that gets very tough and chewy when cooked [photo 1]. Pull it off with your fingers. Place the scallops on some paper towel and pat dry [photo 2]. Add the oil and butter to a saute pan and get it smoking hot. Salt and pepper the scallops, don’t do this before you are ready to place them in the pan or the salt will bring too much moisture to the surface. Add the scallops to the pan, don’t over crowd. Sear the scallops for a minute or two on each side [photo 3+4], turning them only once. Once cooked, place them on a very hot plate as you’ll need a couple of minutes for the sauce.
Turn the heat down to medium. Using the same pan add the stock and cream, cook this down to a sauce like consistency. You can add a little butter to speed things up. Drizzle some sauce over the scallops and garnish with some chopped chives [photo 5].
fin
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