seared
scallops
with corn
coulis
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2tbsp minced shallot
3 garlic cloves
2tbsp avocado oil
1c sweet corn kernels
1/2c 2% milk
TT kosher salt
TT freshly ground black pepper
TT cayenne pepper
1lb scallops
TT fresh tarragon
ingredients
yield: 3 servings
cook time: 30 minutes
course: main
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buttery seared scallops paired with a slightly sweet and velvety corn puree
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1. Mince the garlic and shallots then add them to a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil over medium-high heat. Cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
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2. Add the corn, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a small pinch of cayenne to the pan. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the milk. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes.
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3. Remove your sauce from the heat and transfer to a blender. Puree until smooth, adding more milk as needed to reach a pourable consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning, then pass through a fine-mesh strainer. Set aside.
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4. Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large stainless steel pan over high heat. Pat your scallops very dry and season lightly with salt. Once the pan is just smoking, add the scallops, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Sear undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook the other side until the sides are translucent and the scallops are still springy, not quite firm. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil while finishing the remaining scallops.
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5. Serve scallops atop a pool of corn coulis and garnish with a pinch of freshly chopped tarragon.
process
It’s as quick and approachable as a weeknight dish, yet as exciting and refined as a special occasion dinner. I love having something to look forward to on a Monday—a meal waiting in the fridge, ready to be seamlessly cooked and devoured. This is that dinner. In part because, you’ll only need one or two ingredients from the store, since most of what you need is likely already at home. Personally, I always keep a can of corn kernels in my pantry, otherwise I would have used fresh corn and made the dish just that much more delicious (even if a little more time-consuming).
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Scallops are one of those ingredients I adore, but have only had a handful of times in my life. That’s probably because they can be a bit finicky: overcooked scallops turn rubbery in an instant. Fortunately, a few simple tricks will guarantee perfectly seared, tender results. The first one being to pat the scallops completely dry—the drier they are, the better the sear. Then it’s about using a very hot pan with a high smoke-point oil like avocado and unlike olive. Scallops cook quickly, and without enough heat the centers will overcook before you achieve that golden-brown crust they’re revered for. When deciding whether or not to remove your scallops from the heat, keep in mind that they will continue to cook while they rest on the plate. That’s really all it takes to create better-than-restaurant quality seared scallops.
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As for the sauce: a coulis is simply a purée of fruit or vegetables, typically on the thinner side, so don’t hesitate to add more milk to loosen yours. This corn coulis pairs so well with scallops because of its delicate sweetness, so season with restraint. This sauce will take salt and run with it, so just a small pinch should be plenty. If you find that your salt content outweighs the natural sweetness of the corn, balance it with a pinch of sugar.
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Thank you so much for reading—I’m confident you’ll impress yourself with this one.