Scallops with Leeks and Lemon Butter Sauce: A Symphony of Flavors
Prepare to indulge in a culinary masterpiece that tantalizes your taste buds and elevates your dining experience. Scallops, renowned for their tender texture and delicate sweetness, take center stage in this delectable dish. Perfectly seared scallops rest atop a bed of sautéed leeks, their subtle oniony flavor providing a delightful contrast to the scallops' inherent sweetness. The pièce de résistance is the luscious lemon butter sauce, a harmonious blend of tangy lemon juice, rich butter, and aromatic herbs. This symphony of flavors creates an unforgettable dish that is both elegant and approachable, perfect for a romantic dinner or a special occasion meal. In addition to the main recipe, this article offers variations to cater to diverse preferences, including a mouthwatering recipe for pan-seared scallops with brown butter and capers, a delightful combination of salty and savory flavors. For those seeking a lighter option, the recipe for scallops with lemon-herb butter and roasted vegetables provides a vibrant and nutritious meal.
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS & LEMON CHILLI BUTTER
Scallops love a bit of lemon and chilli plus, they are ready in a flash. The perfect way to impress last-minute guests
Provided by Jane Hornby
Categories Starter
Time 20m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- For the butter, mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, then beat well with a wooden spoon until there are no lumps of butter left. Spoon onto a large sheet of cling film, then wrap tightly in a sausage shape. Chill until firm (or put in the freezer if you're short of time).
- Set up a pan with a steamer or suspend a heatproof colander over the top of a pan. Cut the leeks in half lengthways, then slice into long strips, about the thickness of tagliatelle. Cover, then steam for 6 mins until tender, with no signs of squeakiness. Season, then set aside.
- Dry the scallops on kitchen paper and season. Heat a heavy-based pan, then add the oil. Once hot, add the scallops, keeping them close together - this helps the sides to stay straight and tall rather than sagging. Sizzle for 2 mins until caramelised and you can see the heat creeping up the outside. Turn over with a palette knife, then fry for 1 min more. Take off the heat, then add a few good slices of the butter to the pan, spooning over the scallops as it melts.
- To serve, wind a nest of warm leeks in the centre of 4 plates, top each with 3 scallops, spoon over the buttery sauce (it looks smart trickled around the plate), then sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Squeeze over a little lemon juice before you tuck in.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 588 calories, Fat 56 grams fat, SaturatedFat 33 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 3 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 19 grams protein, Sodium 1.47 milligram of sodium
SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS
Steps:
- Remove the scallops from their shells, or ask your fishmonger to do this. Separate the white flesh from the corals, and detach the hard skin around the white and the tiny black sack from the coral. Wash clean under a running tap. Halve the whites horizontally. Leave to dry off on some paper towels.
- Wash the leeks and discard the green parts. Slice the white stems lengthwise into narrow strips about 2 inches long. Place in a saucepan with 1-ounce of the butter, a pinch of salt and 8 tablespoons of water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep hot.
- In another pan melt the rest of the butter and then gently cook the shallots until they are soft. Add the wine, vermouth and scallops with their corals. Bring just to the boiling point, then turn the heat very low and simmer for exactly 2 minutes, or less if the scallops are small.
- Remove the leeks from their liquid using a slotted spoon and place in the heated dish. With the same spoon place the scallops on top. Add the leek juice to the scallop juice and boil until the liquid is reduced to 8 tablespoons. Pour in the cream, return to the boil and bubble for a moment or two. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the scallops. Scatter with the chopped parsley.
PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER
Pan-seared scallops make a restaurant-worthy meal, and they're easy to make at home.
Provided by Jennifer Segal
Categories Dinner
Time 15m
Yield 12 to 16 scallops
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Remove the tiny, tough side muscle where sand can hide and rinse the scallops if necessary (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed). Dry the scallops very well with a paper towel, as moisture can impede browning.
- Heat a large cast iron pan or thick-bottom nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. (Heat two pans if necessary to keep scallops from crowding.) Add the olive oil and ½ tablespoon of the butter, and swirl to coat the pan. Place the scallops in the pan and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Sear on the first side, without touching or flipping, for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Using tongs, turn the scallops over, season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and sear for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through.
- Move the scallops to a plate. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 3½ tablespoons butter to the skillet. As the butter is melting, add the lemon juice and swirl the pan a few times, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Add the scallops back in the skillet, baste with the sauce to warm, and then divide onto 4 plates, using all the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
- Note: When purchasing scallops, look for the "dry" or "dry-packed" variety. Some scallops on the market are dipped in a solution to extend shelf life. The scallops end up absorbing the water in the solution, increasing the price and causing the scallops to leak moisture when cooked (which will keep them from developing a beautifully caramelized exterior). Quality seafood markets typically carry dry scallops but don't usually label them; if you're uncertain of what to buy, ask your fishmonger.
- Variation: For even more flavor, you can brown the butter to make a brown butter lemon sauce. Before cooking the scallops, start the sauce by adding 3½ tablespoons of the butter to a small, thick-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. You will notice foaming and then milk particles will begin to drop to the bottom. When the butter turns golden and starts to smell nutty, it's done. Set aside for a minute or two. Strain through the finest strainer you have to remove the brown bits. (It's called "brown butter," but a key to browning butter is to remove when it is golden, before it paradoxically turns brown and burns.) Set the strained butter aside and proceed with the recipe, adding the browned butter to the pan after cooking the scallops.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 4 scallops, Calories 202, Fat 15 g, Carbohydrate 4 g, Protein 12 g, SaturatedFat 8 g, Sugar 0 g, Fiber 0 g, Sodium 394 mg, Cholesterol 55 mg
SCALLOPS WITH LEEKS AND LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
I love scallops! Serve these as a nice first course or a light main dish. The cook time does not take into account that some things can be done simultaneously.
Provided by Normaone
Categories Spring
Time 1h15m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water.
- Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until leeks are tender, stirring now and then.
- Season and set aside.
- Can be made a day in advance.
- Cover and refrigerate.
- In a large saucepan, boil vermouth, shallots, lemon juice,and thyme 25 minutes, or until reduced to 1 cup.
- Strain sauce and set aside.
- Season scallops.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute scallops about 3 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Keep warm.
- In a skillet over medium heat, rewarm the leek mixture, stirring now and then.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, gradually add the 1/2 c butter a piece or two at a time, whisking until melted.
- Remove from heat and season.
- Spoon leek mixture onto plates.
- Spoon warm scallops onto leeks.
- Drizzle sauce over scallops and sprinkle with chopped tomatoes.
- Serve.
SEA SCALLOPS WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
Make and share this Sea Scallops With Lemon Butter Sauce recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Barenakedchef
Categories < 30 Mins
Time 20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Dust scallops with flour.
- Shake off and saute on each side until golden brown. Season with salt and
- pepper. Drain off excess oil and keep pan off heat. Drop in butter, parsley,
- capers and a squeeze of fresh lemon. Shake together. Serve at once.
SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER AND LEMON PAN SAUCE
Juice lemons. Spoon out capers. Heat pan. Cook scallops. Make sauce in same pan. Serve.
Provided by Carla Lalli Music
Categories Bon Appétit Dinner Quick & Easy Seafood Shellfish Scallop Chive Capers Lemon
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Cut 2 lemons in half and squeeze juice into a measuring glass or small bowl; you should have 1/4 cup juice. Set aside. Using a paring knife, cut ends off remaining lemon to expose flesh. Upend lemon on a cut end and remove peel and white pith from lemons; discard. Cut between membranes to release segments into bowl with juice; squeeze membranes to get any last drops of juice. Fish out any seeds; set aside. Thinly slice chives and place in a small bowl; set aside.
- Pull side muscle off scallops, if needed; pat dry. Season lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet, preferably stainless steel, over medium-high. Pour in oil to lightly coat surface (2-3 Tbsp.); heat until it shimmers and you see first wisps of smoke. Swiftly place scallops into skillet, flat side down, and cook without touching, tossing, or fussing until underside is deep golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Use a thin spatula or tongs to gently turn over; if they resist, cook another 30 seconds and try again. Cook on second side until flesh at top and bottom looks opaque but there is still a faintly translucent strip in the middle, 1-2 minutes, depending on size. Transfer scallops to a plate.
- Pour off any oil in skillet and set over medium heat. Add butter and cook, swirling, until butter foams, then browns, about 2 minutes. Add reserved lemon juice and segments; energetically stir and swirl pan to emulsify sauce. Mix in capers and reserved chives and spoon pan sauce around and over scallops.
Tips:
- Scallop Selection: Choose large, dry scallops with a firm texture and no discoloration.
- Soaking Scallops: To remove any grit or sand, soak scallops in cold water for 15-20 minutes before cooking.
- Pat Dry: Before cooking, pat scallops dry with paper towels to prevent splattering.
- High Heat: Use high heat to quickly sear scallops, creating a golden-brown crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
- Don't Overcook: Scallops cook quickly, so only cook them for 1-2 minutes per side or until they are opaque throughout.
- Flavorful Butter Sauce: Use a combination of butter, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs to create a flavorful sauce that complements the scallops.
- Leeks: Slice leeks thinly and rinse them thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris.
- Cooking Leeks: Sauté leeks in butter until they are softened and slightly caramelized.
- Lemon Zest: Add lemon zest to the butter sauce for a bright, citrusy flavor.
- Garnish: Finish the dish with fresh herbs such as parsley or chives for a pop of color and flavor.
Conclusion:
Scallops with Leeks and Lemon Butter Sauce is a simple yet elegant dish that combines the delicate flavor of scallops with the sweet, earthy notes of leeks and a rich, tangy lemon butter sauce. Follow these tips to ensure perfectly cooked scallops, flavorful sauce, and a delicious meal that will impress your guests. Experiment with different herbs and spices to create your own unique flavor variations, and serve the dish with your favorite sides such as roasted vegetables, rice, or pasta. Whether you're cooking for a special occasion or just looking for a quick and easy gourmet meal, Scallops with Leeks and Lemon Butter Sauce is sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
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