Seared Scallops with Garlic Chili Butter | Annie's Eats

By Joschef

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. sea scallops
• Salt and pepper
• 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sweet chile sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. clarified butter*
• 1/4 cup white wine, such as sauvignon blanc

Details

Servings 3
Adapted from annies-eats.com

Preparation

Step 1

Pat the scallops dry on both sides with paper towels.  Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the room temperature butter, chile sauce and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mixed together until evenly blended.  Set aside.

Heat a large skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes.  Add the clarified butter and swirl to coat the pan.  Add the scallops to the pan in a single layer and let cook without flipping or stirring for 2 minutes. Flip the scallops over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, just until cooked through. Remove the scallops to a plate.

Add the wine to the now empty pan to deglaze any browned bits from the bottom.  Reduce the heat to medium-low.  When the wine has mostly bubbled off, add in the chili butter mixture.  Stir just until melted.  Serve the scallops warm with a bit of the butter sauce drizzled over the top.

*To make clarified butter, let butter melt slowly in a small saucepan.  Once the milk solids have separated from the butter, carefully skim the solids from the top and discard.  The remaining liquid butter is what you will use.