Nantucket Bay Scallops
Sweet, tender bay scallops seared golden in a classic butter-white wine sauce with fresh lemon. A restaurant-quality dish ready in 20 minutes that feels both elegant and effortless.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh bay scallops, 10/20 count
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 wedges lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Remove the side muscle from each scallop — it's a small, tough tab on the side. Gently peel it away with your fingers and discard. Pat the scallops completely dry with paper towels, working gently so you don't break them. Dry scallops are essential — any surface moisture will steam them instead of searing them to a golden crust.
- 2
Place 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour on a shallow plate and season it with 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt and 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix well with a fork.
- 3
Juice 1 fresh lemon to get 2 tablespoons of juice. Finely chop 2 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley and set aside.
- 4
Set a 12-inch stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Let it preheat for 2 minutes until it's very hot — a drop of water should dance and evaporate immediately on contact.
- 5
While the skillet heats, working with one scallop at a time, lightly coat both sides of each scallop in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. The flour creates a delicate crust that traps moisture and helps the scallops brown.
- 6
Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the hot skillet. Wait 10 seconds for the butter to stop foaming, then the oil and butter mixture should shimmer and smell fragrant.
- 7
Carefully place the scallops into the skillet in a single layer, without crowding — arrange them so they don't touch. You may need to work in two batches depending on your pan size. Leave them undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes — resist the urge to move them. You'll hear a gentle, steady sizzle. They're done when the bottoms turn golden-tan and release easily from the pan.
- 8
Flip each scallop and sear the second side for another 1 to 2 minutes until it's also golden and the scallops are just opaque throughout — they should still be tender, not rubbery. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- 9
Pour 0.5 cup of dry white wine into the same skillet, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen all the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes — you should smell the alcohol burn off and see the liquid reduce noticeably.
- 10
Remove the skillet from heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, stirring gently until the butter melts completely and the sauce is creamy and silky. The cold butter creates an emulsion that gives the sauce body and shine.
- 11
Return the scallops to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Tilt the pan gently to coat all of them, about 20 seconds. Do not cook further — the scallops will continue to cook from residual heat.
- 12
Divide the scallops and sauce between two shallow bowls or plates. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley over each portion and serve immediately with a lemon wedge on the side. Squeeze lemon juice over the top just before eating for brightness.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch stainless steel skillet
- paper towels
- shallow plate
- fork
- citrus juicer or reamer
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for internal temps)
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