An Inspired Cook

Scallops rate pretty high on my favorite foods list.  They tend to be pricey so we don’t have them all that often.  I love the succulent sweet meat that practically melts in your mouth when cooked to perfection.  Pan searing can be one of the easiest and tastiest ways to serve them but it’s important to pat them as dry as possible to get that beautiful sear that holds so much flavor. Once you have a hot skillet in place they take only a few minutes to prepare.  A rice pilaf with dried cherries is a tasty side dish to go alongside.

I seasoned the scallops with a lemon infused olive oil with salt and pepper.  If you use an unflavored olive oil you may want to squeeze a spritz of lemon over the scallops as they sear.

This is about a pound of scallops.  I patted them dry on both sides with paper towels.  Try to get as much of the moisture out for best results.

Drizzle enough olive oil  to coat the bottom of the pan and let it get nice and hot.  Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper and add to the pan.  Let cook 2 minutes (if your pan is hot enough they should have be golden and crusty on the bottom).  Turn them over to cook an additional minute on the other side. Cooked quick and hot will produce a very succulent and tender scallop.

These took about 3 minutes total.  I may have needed just a bit more olive oil as some of the crusty parts stuck to the pan.

I also made the kale stir fry to go alongside the scallops and pilaf.  Healthy and delicious!





Pan Seared Scallops

1 pound Sea Scallops
Lemon Infused Olive Oil (you may use unflavored EVOO also)
Salt
Black Pepper

Blot dry the scallops of as much moisture as possible with paper towels.  Heat a large heavy bottomed skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle the scallops with salt and pepper.  When the skillet is very hot, set the scallops in the pan and let sear for 2 minutes.  Turn them over to cook an additional minute.   Serve alongside rice pilaf, pasta or salad.

* If using unflavored olive oil you may want to add a spritz of fresh lemon juice over the scallops after you add them to the hot pan.

**Do not overcook the scallops as they can have a rubbery texture.

Makes 3 – 4 servings