Goodness me this is another keto winner. Or is it another pesto winner? I don’t think you can lose with pesto anything, and this recipe just happened when I wanted to do something fun with some more jumbo scallops. On top of it, this recipe only took me 20 minutes! That doesn’t include fresh pesto, which is another recipe altogether. Click here for my pesto recipe. These 3 ingredients: the scallops, pesto, and the warm tomatoes join so well together in your mouth. That’s all you need to have an impressive meal on your table. So if you are like me, and keep a bunch of pesto in your freezer along with some fresh/frozen jumbo scallops, the only thing you need to buy fresh is some plum tomatoes when you want to make this dish. Your guests will love you. Serve it alongside herbed couscous, roasted potatoes, or over your favorite pasta.
Start with a bit of olive oil in the pan, get it nice and hot, then add the tomatoes. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Then turn the heat down to medium, add the pesto with the remaining ingredients, and keep cooking, covered, for about 3 or 4 more minutes. All this while you cook the scallops. Timing is super easy on this one.
Sear on each side for about 2-3 minutes. If they get stuck to the pan, they aren’t done, so let them release themselves. They will as soon as they are crispy. These scallops look sad because I should have used a cast iron pan. But ooh they tasted too good for words. When they are done pop them on a plate and cover with the warmed pesto and ready to burst plum tomatoes!
Pesto Scallops with Sautéed Plum Tomatoes
- February 25, 2021
- 20 min
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Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo sea scallops
- 1 T olive oil plus 1 tsp
- 20 plum tomatoes
- 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 T balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 4 T pesto
- Finely shredded parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1
- Place 1 tsp of olive oil in a non-stick sauce pan. Heat over medium heat for 1 minute and then add the plum tomatoes. Cover and go to step 2.
- Step 2
- 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.
- Step 3
- While the scallops are searing, add remaining ingredients to the tomatoes and keep covered while they do their thing.
- Step 4
- Serve scallops covered in the pesto mixture, surround them with the almost bursting tomatoes, and top with finely grated parmesan.
