Seared Scallops and Oysters (Mushrooms)

Searing scallops can seem daunting at first, but is super simple and easy once you get the hang of it. The keys are to have dry, properly seasoned scallops, and a really hot pan. That's it!

1. Choose nice, whole scallops, shape them into a rounder form if necessary.
2. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper on all sides.
3. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan (cast iron is great, but any pan will do) You want the pan practically smoking.
4. Gently place the scallops in the pan on one flat side. Cook for 30-90 seconds, depending on the size of your scallops and the temperature of your pan.
5. Gently use a spatula to flip the scallops and sear the other side.
6. Drain on a piece of paper towel and serve!

After searing the scallops, I used the same pan to quickly saute a
few slices of beautiful, pink oyster mushrooms!

Tips and Tricks:

• This works with frozen scallops just as well as fresh, as long as the scallops are fully thawed and patted dry.
• Do not overcrowd the pan or the temperature of the pan will lower too much and steam the scallops rather than sear them.
• Do not over cook the scallops. The secret behind a really hot pan is to get a beautiful sear on both sides of the scallop without cooking the center too much.
• Scallops can be a little underdone in the center. This is much preferred to rubbery scallops!
• If you don't want the appearance of black flecks on your scallops, skip the pepper or season them at the table.

Mushroom, Oyster, Scallop Risotto

• Sage risotto
• Sauteed shitake mushrooms
• Pink oyster mushrooms
• Seared scallops
• Spicy greens
• Fresh dill
• Lemon twist

Scallops and Wine Sauce

Scallops are a quick and easy protein addition to a well-balanced meal. They are quite nutritious, versatile, and tasty. Scallops are not bad breaded in a crispy coating, but I prefer to allow the scallops to really shine through and just accompany them with a simple but flavorful sauce. Usually reductions are the best type of sauces - something delicate and slightly sweet with simple but pronounced flavors. My father is the scallop and reduction sauce master in this house, and this time he chose to do a red wine reduction with a little garlic. The reduction is very strong and concentrated on its own, even after being reduced down, but it is perfect to dress the scallops. The easiest way to achieve this, is to quickly sauté the scallops in a hot pan with a little oil until just cooked, then use the same pan to cook garlic and onion and reduce down an alcohol or acidic ingredient. What do you think, does this plate look messy or artistically creative?

Scallops with Apple Cider Reduction

The other day my father cooked some scallops. He pan-fried them and made a quick and simple reduction. He wanted to make another reduction using a wine or something similar, like he had done previously (see Baby Scallops with White Wine Reduction here), but we didn't really have any ideal spirits on hand to use. So I looked for some recipes and found one that incorporated a reduction of apple cider vinegar. I love apple cider vinegar, so we decided to go with that. Balsamic vinegar would also work and would provide a different flavor. This recipe can certainly be altered, increased, or vamped up. The addition of shallots or caramelized onions or fresh herbs or spices would be nice. Other flavors that could be incorporated include lemon and sesame. 

To prepare the reduction, basically some vinegar and a little water is heated over high heat until it is thickened and reduced. This concentrates the liquid and make it much more flavorful and sweet, and will also burn off any alcohol if wine or spirits are used. This makes a really simple and quick sauce made right in the pan that adds a little flavor and moistness to your meal, and also making the reduction in the same pan the fish is cooked in gives it more flavor and will loosen any bits stuck to the pan and infuse them into the sauce. 

Baby Scallops With White Wine Reduction

The other day we had scallops for dinner. We usually bread scallops in bread crumbs and then bake them in the oven. This time though, we bought some regular scallops as well as some baby scallops to try. My father pan-fried the baby scallops. He began with some butter and oil, and browned it in the pan. then he gently seared the baby scallops. He added some white wine to make a reduction. I had never had baby scallops before, so it was a bit difficult to tell whether the white wine paired nicely with the scallops without having tasted them alone. I think this white wine was a little bit on the sweet side though it wasn't too bad. I would love to try seared baby scallops with another reduction sometime, perhaps a maple, balsamic, or lemon reduction. I bet it would be really good with caramelized onions as well. This is a really simple dish that cooks really quickly, but you could easily make it fancy by its presentation  Place a few scallops on a plate, or on a bed of greens, rice, etc. Add a drizzle of extra reduction on the side, or oil, or balsamic vinegar. Add a lemon wedge, parsley or other garnish, and voila!