(Upbeat music)
Are you looking for a fancy meal for a special occasion?
I know just the recipe Pan-Seared Scallops!
We don't have it very often but I love seeing my husband's eyes light up
when I treat them to this simple gourmet meal.
I'm going to use fresh dry scallops. They have an ivory to pinkish hue,
a little bit sticky on the surface, and have a nice briny aroma.
Some markets sell wet scallops. Wet scallops have been chemically treated to
extend shelf life and retain moisture. The only challenge
with using those is that you know sometimes that moisture
gets released so that it steams instead of browns
immediately in the pan. However if that's all you have available
you can definitely use it in this recipe.
Combine 1/3 cup salt and 1 cup hot water
in a medium bowl. Stir until the salt is mostly dissolved
then add 4 cups of ice cubes, once the water is
cold add 1 pound of scallops. Brine the
scallops for 10 minutes while the scallops sit in this salty
solution some of the proteins are going to start to dissolve and reshape
creating this gel-like matrix that's going to lock in
the moisture so that when the scallops are cooked
they're going to stay nice and tender. Before culinary school I never brined my
scallops and I would get tough and rubbery textures, but
now that I know about brining I never skip this step.
Drain and rinse the scallops under cold water
Transfer the scallops to a sheet pan lined with paper towels
Place another sheet of paper towels on top and gently press
until each piece is dry. The drier the surface
the better the sear this is going to ensure that the scallops turn brown
instead of steam when they hit that hot pan. If you want to take this a step
further you can place the scallops uncovered in
the refrigerator to further dry the surface. Either way
just make sure you leave the scallops out for about 10 minutes before
seasoning and cooking. Right before cooking lightly
season the scallops on both sides if you add the salt too early it'll
drought excess moisture to the surface
Heat a large 12-inch pan over
medium-high heat add two tablespoons of olive oil,
once hot add the scallops to the pan in a single
layer Gently press on them with a spatula so
that they make direct contact with the pan. Pan-sear until
golden brown on the surface, about 3 minutes.
Avoid moving them. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the
pan, flip the scallops over and baste. Tilt the pan as needed to cook
until firm, but tender. About one to two minutes.
Turn off the heat and transfer to a clean plate. Basting the scallops with a
little bit of butter towards the end of the cooking
is going to boost the browning. Why? Because the proteins and milk salts in
the butter are going to start to turn brown and
stick to that surface creating a beautiful crust
To tell when the scallops are done they're going to be firm to the touch,
opaque through the center, and when you cut them with a knife or a fork
they're going to have just a little bit of resistance.
These are perfect. And there's just so much
rich and briny flavor left in the pan I'm gonna make a pan sauce.
Using the same pan to cook the scallops, turn the heat up to medium. Add in
1 tablespoon of minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds
Add in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and
1 teaspoon of lemon zest. Scrape the pan to remove any brown bits
and stir into the sauce cook for about 1 minute.
Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and
2 tablespoons of heavy cream.
Add the scallops back to the pan and
warm over low heat, about 2 minutes. Garnish with
1 teaspoon of chopped dill and black pepper.
Wow this looks amazing! Jason is going to love this.
Although it's not a special occasion without this irresistible dessert right here.
Now to serve this I would pair it with
some angel hair pasta maybe a fresh green salad to start and
have a bottle of wine or champagne at the table.
Cheers, see you in the next video!