Description
Creamy Scallop Delight elevates ocean-fresh seafood with a luxurious French-inspired sauce. Delicate seared scallops nestle in silky cream, promising a restaurant-quality experience you’ll savor down to the last delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb (454 grams) sea scallops (dry)
Seasoning:
- Sea salt or kosher coarse salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Sauce and Cooking Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) canola oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt (to taste)
Pasta:
- 1/2 lb (227 grams) fettuccine (or any other favorite pasta)
Instructions
- Prepare pasta according to package instructions, preferably fettuccine, while simultaneously preparing other components of the dish.
- Thoroughly rinse scallops under cold water and meticulously pat dry to ensure optimal searing. Remove any tough side muscle attached to the scallops.
- Preheat skillet to medium-high heat, adding canola oil until it shimmers and barely begins to smoke. Season scallops with salt and pepper, then carefully place them in the pan, maintaining space between each piece to prevent steaming.
- Sear scallops undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes per side, achieving a rich golden-brown crust. Remove scallops from pan and set aside.
- Reduce skillet heat to medium and melt butter in the same pan, preserving the flavorful browned bits. Briefly sauté garlic until aromatic, approximately 10-15 seconds.
- Deglaze pan with stock, scraping up caramelized remnants. Gradually incorporate heavy cream and Parmesan, allowing sauce to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Gently return scallops to the sauce, warming them through. Serve by either combining pasta directly with the sauce or spooning sauce over plated pasta.
Notes
- Pat scallops completely dry to achieve a golden, crispy sear without steaming them in the pan.
- Use high-heat neutral oil like canola to get the perfect caramelization without burning.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan when searing scallops, giving each one enough space ensures a beautiful crust and even cooking.
- Create a rich, velvety sauce by using the same skillet after searing, which captures all the delicious browned bits for extra flavor depth.
- Quickly cook garlic to prevent burning, releasing its aromatic essence without becoming bitter or acrid.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg