Delectable diver scallops with so many subtle and different flavors! I felt like I was at a fancy restaurant with this plate of to-fkn-die-for food! It was actually very simple to make, and easy to time with the asparagus. The asparagus just simmers in butter while you cook the scallops, and the sauce is perfect drizzled all over the whole plate! Voila.
You can use any type of scallops you want, but keep in mind that they should be fresh or frozen without liquid. Thaw naturally if buying frozen or they will turn out tough. I’m not a scallop connoisseur so just buy what you can afford. If they are small little guys cut the cooking time in half.
This was a 3-pan meal because I refused to sear the scallops and then do the sauce in the same pan afterwards, like so many recipes describe. I want freshly cooked scallops with the sauce on top at the same time. Scallops can cool very quickly, duh because they are too small to hold the heat for very long. And the asparagus gets going at the same time, on medium low heat, so it is ready when the scallops are. Oh I love recipes that are easy to time, serve, and EAT. Especially ones that don’t take forever. You’ll be eating in 30 minutes, including prep time. Here goes…
It is really important to prep all of the fresh herbs, juice your lemon, and mince the shallot and garlic BEFORE cooking your heart out. God I love capers and dill together. Wait until I post about pickles. It is such an exciting flavor on the scallops.
Seriously all you do is wash the asparagus, bend them from the bottom of the stem until they break (throw that tough part out), drop them in a non-stick pan with a gob of butter, salt, and pepper and let them do their thing on medium low heat. I covered mine after about 8-10 minutes to speed it up. Slow and steady wins the race.
Scallops with Creamy Caper Wine Sauce
- February 23, 2021
- 30 min
- Print this
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo scallops
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Sauv)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 T butter
- 1 T olive oil
- Juice from one lemon
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2-4 T capers (I love them so I go overboard)
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parmesan, finely grated
- 1 bunch of asparagus
Directions
- Step 1
- Chop all of your ingredients and get everything ready to sauce up these scallops.
- Step 2
- Wash scallops, pat dry thoroughly, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
- Wash asparagus, bend from the bottom until it snaps. This removes the tough part that is not edible. Place in pan with 1 T butter, salt, and pepper and cook on medium low heat.
- Step 4
- In a sauce pan, melt 1 T butter with minced shallot and garlic for 1 minute.
- Step 5
- Add wine, cream, salt, and pepper then boil until it thickens and is reduced by half.
- Step 6
- This is when you heat olive oil in a non-stick or seasoned cast iron pan on medium high until it is very hot. Drop the scallops in the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes each side. Turn them over when they release themselves because if they are stuck they are not ready. Sear the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 7
- Watch the asparagus and cover if needed. Don’t overcook.
- Step 8
- Meanwhile keep your eyes on the sauce: remove from heat when it has thickened and add lemon juice, dill, chives, and capers. Cover.
- Step 9
- When the scallops are done, place on serving plate with asparagus and pour some of that yummy sauce all over the plate.
- Step 10
- Top with finely grated parmesan and enjoy!
Song for the Prep: Sand and Sea by Frank Sinatra
