Overcome your fear of scallops with this simple and striking version

The key to cooking scallops is to not overcook them. As Sam Sifton, editor of the New York Times kitchen, wrote: “Indeed, there is almost nothing like an undercooked scallop.”

In his new cookbook “See You on Sunday” (Random House, 2020), Sifton includes a simple, dead recipe for caramelized scallops: extra large sea scallops are darkly seared in neutral oil or clarified butter, so that both sides end with a golden brown crust.

Scale and get a printable version of the recipe here.

The way to get that perfect grip is to dry the scallops well, have the hot grease – near the smoke – and avoid overloading the pan. For his recipe, Sifton even recommends cooking them in more than one pan to avoid overcrowding and having them all ready at the same time.

He finishes the scallops with a generous touch of fresh lemon juice, or he has fun on Sunday evening by draping them in classic French white butter.

Finding fresh, untreated and dry-packed scallops is also key to success.

“Wet” scallops are chemically treated with a solution of water and sodium tripolyphosphate to keep them moist for longer.

This can make the scallops softer, and some people say they can taste a chemical-like flavor when they cook them. Lovers of fresh seafood will tell you to visit a renowned market and ask for freshly shelled “dry” scallops to obtain a pink scallop with firm edges.

If you’re like me, however, you buy your ingredients for weekday dinner at a local grocery store, so you can check for fresh seafood and ask if they have any scallops. Or, consider frozen scallops may be the best way to do this. I tried to buy them fresh and tasted a few frozen varieties when testing the Sifton recipe. They all went well.

To thaw scallops, transfer them from the package to a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

[A week’s worth of fish recipes to inspire you during Lent]

If you only find wet scallops, several sources recommend putting them in brine before cooking.

Sifton suggests a brining method even for dry packaged scallops, so we tried to make them brined and not brined. The brining resulted in tender scallops which were a little higher and firmer, but this was not essential to success.

If you want to try brining, here’s what Sifton recommends: Combine 2 cups of kosher salt in 2 cups of boiling water and stir until the salt dissolves. Then add 8 cups of cold water. Stir again and allow the brine to cool to room temperature. Add the scallops and brine for 10 minutes. Then rinse the scallops in running cold water, dry them well and place them on a large plate or clean baking sheet covered with paper towels. Cover the scallops with a towel and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but not more than 2, or, he said, the scallops will become salty. If you are brining the scallops, you will not need to salt them later during cooking.

One weekday evening, however, I would skip this brining process and spend more time on the sauce. The scallops take less than 10 minutes to grasp on both sides, which leaves a lot of time – even on an eventful evening – to make this classic and succulent French sauce. If you’ve never made white butter, which is made with wine, vinegar, shallots and lots and lots of butter, it may sound intimidating, but it only takes about 15 minutes for your attention, a pan and a whip.

First, the chopped shallots, vinegar and wine are reduced until the liquid almost evaporates. Then, cream is added and, over low heat, hazelnuts of butter are incorporated into the mixture.

At the end of this constant whip, you will have a creamy emulsion that transforms these discs of golden scallops into a luxurious starter. In his cookbook, Sifton recommends ending the meal with a “spoonful of neat rice and a delicate thatch of grilled asparagus, on a table covered with a cloth and a few low candles that wink at the glasses wine. Fancy!”

Fantasy, indeed.

Caramelized sea scallops with white butter

Purists recommend filtering the shallots of white butter before putting the seafood in a sauce, but I’m with Sifton, who prefers to leave them for flavor and texture. If mastering the scallop cooking process is enough for you, then simply serve the seafood with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Or, if desired, melt the butter, about 1 teaspoon per scallop, with your choice of chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, parsley or rosemary. Then pour the herb butter over the scallops just before serving.

Serve with steamed asparagus and a green salad.

ingredients

FOR SCALLOPS

4 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grape seed, or clarified butter, divided

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

16 extra large sea scallops, preferably dry packaged, hard muscle on the side removed

FOR WHITE BUTTER

1/4 cup dry white wine, like a chenin blanc or an albarino

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 medium shallot, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 pinch of kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces, refrigerated

Not

Step 1

Make the scallops: Heat a large stainless steel sauté pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is shimmering and close to the smoke, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the scallops. Working in batches to avoid cluttering the pan, place the scallops in the pan, making sure they don’t touch.

Cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the scallops is a dark golden brown, about 3 minutes, then, using tongs, carefully turn each scallop and let the other side cook until until golden brown, about 2 more minutes. Repeat with the rest of the oil and the scallops. Place the cooked scallops on a dish and keep warm.

2nd step

Make the white butter: Combine wine, vinegar and shallot in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Let the mixture cook, turning the pan occasionally, until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Stage 3

Add the cream and salt and bring to the boil for about 1 minute.

Step 4

Reduce the heat to low, add a knob of butter and use a whisk to mix it with the sauce. Repeat with the rest of the butter, adding a few carrots at a time, whisking constantly and removing the pan from the heat occasionally to allow the sauce to cool. (Too much heat will break the emulsion.) Remove the sauce from the heat.

For classic white butter, strain the sauce before serving and discard the chopped shallot, or serve as is.

Step 5

Transfer 2 scallops per person to hot plates, drizzle with white butter and serve.