Scallops with Ginger & Mint
Submitted by lemygran
Seared bay scallops in a white wine and ginger butter sauce with fresh mint, served over butter-softened carrots. An elegant French-inspired seafood dish with bright, unexpected flavors.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsGinger and mint aren’t the usual suspects in a butter sauce, but with seared scallops they make a stunning combination. The ginger brings warmth and bite. The mint adds a cool, herbal freshness that hits right after. Together they keep the rich butter sauce from feeling heavy.
The searing technique is where this recipe lives or dies. Pat the scallops bone-dry, get the oil nearly smoking, and don’t touch them for a full 30 seconds. That first sear builds a golden crust. Overcrowding the pan steams them instead, and steamed scallops are rubbery scallops.
The scallops come out while you build the sauce: shallots, white wine, and fresh ginger reduced down, then butter whisked in off the heat for a glossy, emulsified finish. Butter-softened grated carrots circling the plate add color and natural sweetness.
Chef Tips
- Dry the scallops thoroughly on a towel. Surface moisture prevents browning and you won’t get that caramelized crust.
- Cook in batches rather than crowding. A packed pan drops the temperature and the scallops steam.
- Reduce the wine and ginger until almost dry before whisking in the butter. Too much liquid means a thin, broken sauce.
- Whisk the final butter in off the heat or on very low flame. High heat splits butter sauces.
Variations
- Use sea scallops instead of bay scallops for larger, more dramatic portions. Sear about 2 minutes per side.
- Replace mint with fresh tarragon for a more classic French flavor profile.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice to the finished sauce for a brighter, more tropical edge.
Ingredients
Directions
IN A SMALL LIDDED POT or saucepan melt 2 tablespoons butter over low heat and add the carrots.
Cover and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, or until softened.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
Pat the scallops dry on a towel.
When the oil is nearly smoking, toss in the scallops, in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, and cook for 30 seconds without stirring.
Then stir lightly with a wooden spoon and cook an additional minute.
Using a slotted spoon remove the scallops from the pan.
Reserve scallops on a plate. They should be only partially cooked.
Discard the oil in the pan.
Return the skillet to high heat, add the shallots, wine and ginger.
Cook until liquid reduces by half.
Meanwhile, the scallops will have released a small amount of liquid.
Pour this into the pan, reduce heat to low and cook until almost no liquid remains.
Return scallops to the pan, whisk in remaining butter and add the mint.
Immediately remove from the heat.
Taste for salt and pepper.
To serve, make a ring of carrots on a platter and mound the sauced scallops in the center.
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