Chef notes
You can never say no to white wine butter sauce, and this one is seriously the best ever. Add the salty notes of the capers and sweetness of fresh scallops and you have a little bite of seafood heaven.
Technique tip: Don't overcook the scallops. This delicate shellfish only needs a nice sear, the inside will continue to cook while resting and you will end up with a perfect, tender morsel.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound large diver scallops
- Garlic powder, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and chilled, divided
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Preparation
For the scallops:
Remove the small muscle attached to the scallops and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
In a large sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Gently place the scallops into the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes until browned. Flip the scallops and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and let rest on a paper towel-lined plate in a warm spot while you make the sauce.
For the caper beurre blanc:
In a medium saucepan on medium heat, sauté the shallots and capers in 1 tablespoon of butter until the shallots are translucent. Add the wine and lemon juice and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, stirring frequently.
Add the cream, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter a little at a time, whisking continuously. Once all the butter is in, remove from heat.
To serve:
Skewer a scallop on a nice dinner fork and dip halfway into the beurre blanc. Set gently on your serving platter. Repeat with another scallop and spoon a little more sauce onto the plate so that the scallops are sitting in a small pool of it.
