Seared Scallops with Pea Puree

By Foodiewife

Ingredients

• 8 large, dry natural scallops
• 1 bag of frozen peas, 1 lb.
• 1 cup of water or broth
• 2/3 cup of half and half, or more if needed to loosen puree
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter
• olive oil for searing scallops
• zest of 1 lemon

Details

Adapted from prouditaliancook.com

Preparation

Step 1

Add butter in a skillet over medium heat, add garlic and shallots and cook until soft.

Add peas and 1 cup of water or broth and cook until sauce is reduced.
Set aside 1½ cups of the cooked peas, keep warm


Place the remaining pea mixture into a food processor, add the half and half, a pinch of the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.

Pulse until you get a nice creamy consistency that you desire, I did not make mine completely smooth.You can add more cream if so desired.


Place in a small sauce pan and keep warm.


For the scallops, get your skillet nice and hot, do not use a nonstick pan.


Salt and pepper your scallops and make sure they are dry.


When pan is nice and hot drizzle olive oil on the bottom.

Place scallops in pan and don't move them until you see a dark golden crust form.

Flip them over when crust is formed, cook for 1 more minute, then remove.


To plate, spread pea puree on a plate, add scallops and sprinkle some of those reserved whole peas all around.

Garnish with a little lemon zest on top or if you're lucky to find some lemon flaked salt like I did, you can use that instead.