A simple, yet elegant dinner of tender Pan Seared Scallops, kissed with a touch of fresh lemon, and served with a side of creamy risotto. The perfect date night at home meal!
Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and I can tell you one thing: Wednesday is not a very romantic day.
Having to drop everything in the middle of the week to get dolled up only to fight with other couples for an annoyingly difficult-to-score Valentine’s Day reservation at some crowded fancy restaurant just isn’t my idea of fun
Here’s the good news though…since it’s on a Wednesday, you don’t have to feel the least bit guilty about the fact that you should go out to celebrate. This dinner is every bit as delicious as you the one you’d get at any upscale trendy restaurant AND you can use the big bucks saved to buy something more useful…like chocolate, or champagne, or more scallops.
Whether it’s Wednesday or any other day, is there anything more romantic than a sophisticated dinner of pan seared scallops? I love making this dish for my Hubby whenever I want to show him some extra love.
I always make this sea scallop recipe with local, wild prime Atlantic scallops. They are some of the freshest, sweetest, and biggest ones around and are readily available all over the country. As an added bonus, this is also a 3 ingredient recipe, so a fresh seafood dinner at home doesn’t get much easier.
A few tips about using fresh seafood for seared scallops:
- Always make sure the scallops are as fresh as possible. They should smell of the ocean and not feel the least bit slimy. Scallops should be intact and whole…in other words…they aren’t fresh if they are tearing or falling apart.
- Buy dry packed scallops, if possible. Dry packed scallop contain no additives and have a natural color of ivory to beige. They cost a little more, but they retain less water and don’t shrink when you cook them, like wet scallops do.
- Always rinse prior to using and dry well with a paper towel. Make sure each scallop is completely dry before cooking, so it will sear properly in pan and not steam.
This is the extra piece of muscle that lies on one side of a scallop (the side-muscle). It has a tough texture, so remove and discard it before cooking.
What to serve with Pan Seared Scallops
Why an easy risotto recipe, of course! Creamy risotto is the perfect side for these pan seared scallops and this leek mushroom risotto recipe doesn’t disappoint. Not a fan of mushrooms? Try this spinach risotto instead.
Serve these pan seared scallops with risotto and enjoy a wonderfully romantic, relatively inexpensive, and downright impressive meal with the one you love. Even if it’s on a Wednesday.
- 12 large fresh dry sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Optional: lemon wedges
- Remove the tough side muscle flap from each scallop, rinse under cold water, and dry well. Sprinkle each with a little salt and pepper and set aside.
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the butter and olive oil to pan. Once the butter melts, add the scallops in a single layer and cook 1½ minutes on each side.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and creamy leek and mushroom or spinach artichoke risotto
Karrie!!! You got me all excited to stay in and make something delicious! And I agree….going out on a Wednesday struggling to get into some restaurant is not my idea of fun either. I would way rather stay in and make something at home….tastes better and so much cozier. These scallops look perfectly cooked and totally juicy. Love all your pics! And you can’t go wrong with serving on top of risotto – one of my absolute favourite comfort food meals!
Love everything about this recipe! The creamy risotto and the scallops cooked to perfection are my idea of a romantic Valentine’s dinner at home. The only thing I don’t like, this year, is that I am away from Loreto… Great job, Karrie, love it!
Great tips on cooking these scallops. I learned so much about picking them out and cooking them from this post! Thanks for sharing. The recipe looks fantastic.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Karrie! Thank you for the tips on handling scallops, love the idea of having them for a classy dinner at home. I happen to know just the Belgian lambic to pair with them:) Cheers!
I’ve never tried scallops before but this dish looks good! thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Linda and hope you try the scallops!