Sea Scallops with Lemon Beurre Blanc

I know that sea scallops aren't for everyone. I myself hadn't even tried a bite of them until my boss' wedding 5 years ago, when I felt I had to at least taste all the dishes out of respect for my boss and his wife (who I love). I thought, at the time "This might be something I could like someday, but I can't picture ordering this." Since then, I have had several opportunities to sample scallops and have always thought: "I should eat these more often." Well, last night I took the plunge! I purchased 8 sea scallops from Whole Foods and researched quite a bit on how to cook them (even the guy next to me at the seafood counter had some tips, as he was picking up scallops as well!). I learned that you needed the pan screaming hot, you should be very careful not to overcook, they need to be super dry before cooking, and you should keep the seasoning simple. For the scallops themselves, I simply followed all the advice. But I knew I would want some kind of sauce, and I researched this one on allrecipes that I thought would work nicely with some alterations. This dish was truly fantastic. What a great way to start out my new year of blogging (this was the first dish I cooked after my blogiversary!)! I was so proud of myself for cooking something that I really haven't even eaten out very much, and one that could be intimidating. I loved how the sweetness of the scallops played with the tang of the sauce. We will definitely be eating this dish again! I would imagine the sauce would go well on any kind of fish. On a side note, I have always gotten scallops, shallots and scallions mixed up, so it is kind of funny that this dish uses two of the three!

Seared Sea Scallops with Lemon Beurre Blanc

8 large fresh sea scallops

Salt & Pepper to taste

3 Tbs flour for dredging

1 Tbs Olive Oil

2 shallots, diced very fine

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/8 cup lemon juice

1/8 cup dry white wine

1 Tbs unsalted butter

Heat oil over high heat in a heavy bottomed skillet. Dry scallops very well with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge each side of all scallops very lightly in flour (this is really just to ensure they are dry, it shouldn't be a breading). Place scallops into nearly smoking hot pan. Cook just until browned, turning once, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to plate and keep warm. Lower heat. Add diced shallots to pan and cook until soft, about 30 seconds. Add chicken stock to deglaze pan, then add lemon juice and white wine. Stir well and allow to boil until reduced by almost 1/2. Add in butter in small pieces. Sauce will get rich and creamy (if you desire a thicker sauce, sprinkle in some of the leftover flour and stir well). Serve over scallops. Makes 2 servings.