Toasting Pine Nuts enhances their buttery flavor for a special finish for Seared Scallops with Pinot Butter Sauce. Elegant and easy, serve this for a special dinner for two. Or for a diner party. Your guests will think you’ve just graduated from Culinary School.
It’s not all buffalo burgers, elk steaks and Rocky Mountain oysters out here in the wild wild west..We can plate up an elegant dinner with the best of ’em and especially if beautiful sea scallops are available.
We thought this dish was spectacular. Restaurant quality, elegant and (shhhh)…pretty e-a-s-y. Serve this for a special dinner for two, or for a dinner party and your guests will think you’ve just graduated from culinary school.
First let’s address the scallops by giving my cast iron skillet a standing ovation. A few years ago when I purchased it from the Army Surplus store down on South Broadway, I never imagined it would be my most prized kitchen tool.
You can throw a five-pound pork roast in this thing and it tosses back a beautifully seared piece of meat in minutes and then trust it with a most delicate sea scallop and it rewards you with a perfectly crusted cube leaving the tender meat inside juicy and sumptuous. Bravo, cast iron skillet!
There’s no other adjective I can think of to describe this sauce other than divine. The all-star lineup of ingredients including shallots, thyme, cream, butter and Pinot Gris turn this dish into a delightful experience. Perfect for seared scallops.
Throw in some buttery toasted pine nuts for a soft crunch to compliment the slight crunch of the sear on the scallops and you’ve got an out of this world dish.
Make sure you have a slice of rustic Italian bread to get every single drop.
Cheers! This seared scallops recipe comes from Hugh Acheson (an F&W Best New Chef 2002) of Five & Ten restaurant and Gosford Wine in Athens, Georgia.
Suggested wine was a Pinot Gris from either Oregon or California.
A match made in heaven for scallops.
Pro Tip: Always choose good quality scallops. Some store bought scallops are soaked in a phosphate solution which plumps them up with water with also increases the price. It’s important to look for scallops that are labeled “dry” or “dry packed”. A phosphate soaked scallop can taste soapy. A dry packed scallop will sear quicker and and beautifully.
Recipe for Seared Scallops with Pinot Gris Butter Sauce
I hope you give this Scallops with Pinot Gris Butter Sauce Recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
And if you have a favorite scallop recipe, please let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
More Scallop Recipes
If you love cooking scallops as much as we do, you won’t want to miss this recipe for Shrimp Scallop Pasta with Orange Cream Sauce
Seared Scallops with Pinot Gris Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium shallots minced
- 2 cups Pinot Gris
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 cup fish stock or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- Salt and ground pepper
- 1 Cup baby spinach packed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 16 large sea scallops
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- In a skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat until golden, 2 minutes; transfer to a plate and let cool. Lightly crush the nuts.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until browned, 4 minutes. Add the wine and thyme; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 15 minutes. Add the stock and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, 9 minutes longer. Add the cream, bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Strain the wine sauce into a clean saucepan. Whisk in the butter, 4 pieces at a time, until the sauce is thickened and smooth; set the pan over low heat as necessary to help melt the butter. Stir in the chives and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, toss the spinach with the lemon juice and the remaining olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
- In the skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned but barely cooked through, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the scallops and spinach to plates. Garnish with the pine nuts and pepper flakes. Gently reheat the sauce, spoon on top and serve.
Nutrition
Seared Scallops with Pinot Gris Butter Sauce…It’s What’s for Dinner
I love scallops and these look fantastic — the perfect sear. The butter sauce also sounds very indulgent!
That butter sauce is amazing.
I have my handwritten notes about “perfect scallops” and they all revolve around a properly preheated cast iron pan. That is the best and easiest way to get that pretty crust you have on yours. Flawless!
I’m glad to hear you say that Chris. All I know is that it worked and hoped it wasn’t a fluke. 🙂
That is certainly a 5-star meal! It is beautifully plated and sounds really flavorful! I need to bring out my cast iron skillet soon 😉
Yes you do Biren! Thanks for stopping by, I’m still reading your blog, busy and not a lot of time to leave comments.
One word: YUM!
You’ve got that right Michele. YUM