Scallops have a fearsome reputation and a ninety-second truth: a screaming pan, a dry scallop, and the discipline not to touch them. This dish plates them restaurant-style — deep golden crust, translucent center — over a silky parsnip-potato purée with sweet peas, charred broccolini, and scallions. It looks like a tasting menu; it cooks in under half an hour.
Buy Dry, Cook Dry
Ask for U10 “dry” scallops — big ones, never treated with the phosphate solution that makes “wet” scallops weep milky liquid and refuse to brown. Pull off the small side muscle (the little rectangular tab — it peels right off), then pat them aggressively dry and salt just before they hit the pan. Surface moisture is the difference between a sear and a steam.
The Purée Underneath
Parsnips and potato, simmered soft and blended with butter and heavy cream, make a purée that is sweeter and more interesting than mashed potatoes — a natural partner for sweet scallop meat. Season it properly and keep it warm; a cold purée under a hot scallop is a rookie plate. The porcini mushrooms steeping in the background add a quiet earthy depth to the pan.
Ninety Seconds a Side
Heat your pan until oil shimmers hard. Scallops go in with space between them — crowding drops the pan temperature and you lose the crust. Then do not move them. Ninety seconds to two minutes builds a deep golden crust; flip once, kiss the second side with butter, and pull them while the centers are still barely translucent. They finish cooking on the plate. Overcooked scallops bounce; perfect ones yield like custard.
The Plate
A swoosh of purée, scallops on top, blistered broccolini and peas around, scallions over everything. For a full composed-dinner evening, start with the citrus lobster tian and keep the wine white and crisp.
FAQ
Can I use frozen scallops?
Yes — most scallops are frozen at sea anyway. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator on paper towels and dry them extra well.
Why won’t my scallops brown?
Wet scallops, a crowded pan, or timid heat. Fix all three and the crust arrives on schedule.
What pan is best?
Stainless or cast iron for the hardest sear. Nonstick works at the cost of some crust — if you use it, get it properly hot first.
Recipe Card
Pan-Seared Scallops
Equipment
- 2 Sauce Pots
- (Help support our site!)Sauté Pan
- Non Stick Sauté Pan
- (Help support our site!)Chefs Knife
- (Help support our site!)Tongs
- Large Spoon
- (Help support our site!)Strainer
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sea Scallops U10
- 2 whole Parsnips Peeled Medium Diced
- 1 whole Potato Peeled Medium Diced
- 5 ounce Sweet Peas
- 1 bunch Broccolini Tops
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ bunch Scallions
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Pepper Flakes
- 1 To Taste Salt & Pepper Black Truffle Salt Preferred
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
Porcini Bourbon Mushroom Cream Sauce
- 4 ounce Porcini Mushrooms Re-Hydrate
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 ounce Bourbon Makers Preferred
- ½ tsp Garlic Minced
Instructions
- Clean your scallops by pulling off side muscle and set aside.
- Place the dry Porcini mushrooms in water to clean and rehydrate and set aside.
- Peel the parsnips and potato.
- Cut the parsnips and potato into medium diced pieces, trying to ensure that all the pieces are same size for even cooking.
- Place potato, parsnips and peas into sauce pot and boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare the butter, heavy cream and scallions. These will be added to the parsnip puree.
- Wash the broccolini and cut the lower stems. Bring the water to a boil with salt to blanch your broccolini.
- Once the water is boiled, blanch the broccolini for 2-4 minutes and remove. Set aside for later usage.
- Gather the butter, heavy cream, porcini mushrooms and bourbon. Set aside for pan sauce when the scallops are cooked.
- Gather the ingredients for sautéed broccolini and set aside.
- After 15 minutes the parsnips and potato should be cooked and ready to puree, drain the water and add butter, scallions, heavy cream, black truffle salt and pepper.
- Using a hand blender or a potato masher, begin to puree the sweet peas, parsnips and potato until smooth and creamy.
- Sample your puree for taste and set aside.
- Place oil in sauté pan. When heated, sauté the garlic and broccolini. Finish with a few pepper flakes and set aside.
- Place a non stick pan on the stove with oil and let it get really hot.
- Place your scallops into the hot pan. Do Not Season scallops this will not sear the scallop properly. Also season scallops after you turn them.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side not get a nice sear on the scallop. The sugar and sweetness of the scallop will cause the scallop to caramelize. Once you get a nice golden crust turn the scallop over and cook for another 5 minutes to caramelize and cook the other side.
- Remove the scallops from the pan. Add the porcini mushrooms, garlic and sauté until the mushrooms get crispy.
- Deglaze the pan by adding the bourbon into pan for flambé. [Note: Stand back from the pan when adding bourbon because it will cause the bourbon to ignite causing a flame you don't want it to catch or you will get burned.]
- Let the alcohol in the bourbon burn out for 1 minute. Add the heavy cream and butter to pan and begin to reduce your sauce. Cook till you get a smooth and thick consistency. Plate up your, mashed potato, broccolini placing scallops onto mashed pour sauce over scallops.
