Pan-Seared Scallops

I've noticed that since Sean has deployed, I'm not cooking the same as when he's home. I'm eating lots of left overs, or anything I can put together quickly. I realized this while grocery shopping Friday, and decided I needed to treat myself to something really good! I went straight for the seafood case and got some scallops. There is nothing worse than over cooked scallops. They get tough very quickly, and that can be very intimidating to someone who's never made them.  And in all honesty, scallops are just too expensive to ruin! So follow the instructions careful, be observant of how quickly they are browning, and you will be just fine!

 

1. Quickly rinse scallops, and pat dry. Season lightly with coarse salt.

2. Heat your pan over high heat. Add 1 Tbs. unsalted butter and 1 Tbs. vegetable oil. (It needs to be HOT to sear them, you will want to see a tiny bit of smoke coming off the pan when it's ready)

3. Place scallops in hot pan. Don't overcrowd them, and DO NOT move them! They need to form a nice brown crust, that will take about 2 minutes. (this will depend on the size, 2 minutes for average sized scallops)

4. Cook for another minute or so, but don't over cook!! They will continue to cook after you take them off the heat! They should still be quite springy if you press on them, if they are firm-you've over cooked them.

5. Serve right away. They get rubbery if you wait to long. Serve with the beautiful caramel side facing up.

You can melt more butter to drizzle over. Great with pasta or veggies, very versatile!