Lonely Scallops

It was a Friday night, my roommate was out of town, and two of my friends were oddly in the same situation. What better way to bring the three loners together than to throw a ‘lone roommate’ dinner party?! The decision on what to make was fairly simple for once. Someone mentioned scallops earlier in the day and I was obsessed- I had to have scallops for dinner. Leafing through old issues of Gourmet, I came across a scallop recipe that seemed very simple to prepare, but also very elegant. Just what I wanted for this evening of wine and friends! Since I am never one to follow a recipe to a T, here is my twist on these heavenly, just-rich-enough seared scallops with tarragon and butter.

Scallops with Garlic Tarragon Butter Sauce (makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients:

12 Sea Scallops, large (approximately 1 lb)

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 tbsp butter

¼ cup Dry White Wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

¼ cup White Wine Vinegar

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 ½ tbsp Fresh Tarragon, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste 

Method:

Using a paper towel, pat scallops completely dry. (This is an important step so the scallops sear in the pan and not steam) Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is just smoking, add scallops, spacing evenly, making sure not to crowd the pan. Sear scallops, without moving them, until golden brown on the bottom- approximately 3 minutes. Flip scallops and add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan. While second side is searing, spoon butter over the tops of the scallops. When scallops are just cooked through and golden brown on both sides (about 6 minutes total), remove from the pan and set aside on a platter.

Return pan to heat. Add wine, vinegar and garlic and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the pan is clean, reduce heat to low and add half of the remaining butter. When butter is nearly melted, add the remaining butter and stir until incorporated. Add tarragon, then salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over the scallops and serve.

I had plenty of ideas as to what to serve the scallops with, but I ultimately decided on a creamy polenta and a medley of green beans and oyster mushrooms. Served with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, I think it’s fair to say that dinner was a hit and that should the occasion arise, there will be a lot more ‘lone roommate’ dinners in the future.

-Katrina