Brown Butter & Sage Seared Scallops

Scallops caramelized in brown butter with earthy sage and fresh lemon.

The key to a perfect scallop is a sauté pan on medium/high heat and a generous amount of fat. The outside needs to be golden brown and delicious (GBD) while the inside remains succulent and juicy, and this cannot be achieved without moderate heat. Don’t be afraid of heat!

INGREDIENTS:

• SCALLOPS

• BUTTER

• NEUTRAL OIL

• SAGE

• LEMON

• SALT

• PEPPER

RECIPE:

1. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and a pinch of pepper.

2. Heat oil in a sauté pan with a medium high heat, this is to ensure the butter doesn’t burn whilst the scallops are cooking.

3. Add the butter and allow to melt and bubble before adding the scallops one by one in a counterclockwise motion starting at 12 o clock and working your way around the pan. This will allow you to easily keep track of the browning of the scallops. Add the sage leaves to your pan at this time.

4. The cook time entirely depends on the size of the scallop (and your heat). You want them to achieve a golden brown crust before flipping, so once one side if golden brown, gently flip them to do the same to the other side. This should only take 1-3 minutes maximum per side. The larger the scallop, the longer it will need. Gently press your scallops with your finger, they should feel bouncy, not super firm. If they are firm, they have been overcooked.

5. Once they are golden and cooked, remove from pan. Serve by pouring over the remaining golden brown butter, a squeeze of lemon juice, and the crispy fried sage leaves. If you have a microplane, a dash of lemon zest would also be great.