Seafood. Lobsters, crabs, scallops, shrimps, oysters, clams, sea urchins… I love them all. I would go to a buffet and eat plates after plates of seafood but feel full after a few bites of ribeye. Seafood is a different story. My friends claim that my stomach has a black hole for seafood. Just a few days ago, my friend, Amy, introduced me to Catalina Offshore, a San Diego seafood wholesaler, where you can buy sashimi grade fish and shellfish for a reasonable price. Many restaurants in San Diego get their seafood from Catalina. You have to order in advance otherwise the good stuff runs out. I got the U-10 diver scallops and stone crabs, not something that you can buy at your typical grocery store. The "U" stands for "under," indicating that it would take 10 of these scallops or less to make up a pound.
I browsed through my cookbook collection to find a recipe that would showcase these wonderful scallops but failed miserably. Most of the recipes were too complicated and required ingredients that were not readily available in my fridge. In the end, I pan seared them and created a white wine sauce to highlight their subtle taste. I was very happy with the result! The scallops were sweet, juicy, and tender! The key is not to overcook them so they do not turn tough and rubbery. These scallops were absolutely delightful!
I browsed through my cookbook collection to find a recipe that would showcase these wonderful scallops but failed miserably. Most of the recipes were too complicated and required ingredients that were not readily available in my fridge. In the end, I pan seared them and created a white wine sauce to highlight their subtle taste. I was very happy with the result! The scallops were sweet, juicy, and tender! The key is not to overcook them so they do not turn tough and rubbery. These scallops were absolutely delightful!
Pan Seared Diver Scallops with White Wine Sauce
1 pound U-10 diver scallops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsps unsalted butter
1 large shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsps chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup dry white wine
½ tablespoon sugar
1. Slice the scallops in half horizontally and score them on one side. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat the butter on high heat until you hear sizzling. Lower the heat to medium and lay the scallops in a circle clockwise.
3. Pan-fry for 1 minute until golden at the edges, then turn them in the same order that you placed in the skillet and cook for another minute.
4. Remove the scallops from heat while you make the white wine sauce.
5. Add garlic, shallot, and parsley to the skillet and sautee them until soft.
6. Add the wine and sugar, and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Place the scallops on a plate and drizzle the sauce on top. Serve while the scallops are still hot.
Amy
Wow those look amazing! Let me know when u attempt this again and I'll be sure to be stationed at your kitchen table when that happens 🙂
vytran
LOL, will do! For our next Catalina trip =P