Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Butter
Golden-crusted sea scallops finished in a quick brown butter sauce with lemon, capers and parsley. Restaurant-style dinner in about 15 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 18 min
- Serves
- 4
Serve over buttered orzo, creamy polenta or with a green salad. Scallops go from tender to rubbery quickly, so pull them the moment the centers lose their glassy look.
Method
-
Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper. Dry scallops sear; wet ones steam.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to shimmer.
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Add the scallops in a single layer without crowding, working in two batches if needed. Cook undisturbed , until a deep golden crust forms.
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Flip, add 1 tbsp of the butter, and cook more, spooning the butter over them, until just opaque in the center. Move to a warm plate.
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Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining butter. When it foams and turns light brown, add the garlic and capers and cook .
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Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, parsley and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
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Spoon the sauce over the scallops and serve right away with lemon wedges.
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