Scrumptious Scallops : Caramelized Scallops with a Balsamic Reduction Sauce

If you haven't noticed by now, I have a strong affinity for scallops. There's something indulgent about biting into those meaty, delectable rounds. Grilled on the BBQ, pan-seared, or even served raw in sushi...the list is endless and there's no wrong method in my opinion. For dinner this week, I decided to make Carmelized Scallops with a Balsamic Reduction Sauce served with roasted carrots and wild rice. It only took about 20 minutes to make and was scrumptious! So tasty that Mr. S. even offered to do clean-up solo.

Prep Tips:

1. Drain your scallops.

2. Place several papertowels on a plate, place the scallops in one layer on the plate. Cover with several papertowels. Place an inverted plate on top and push down hard, squeezing the liquid out.

3. Remove top layer of papertowels. Replace with fresh, dry papertowels. Repeat squeezing process.

4. Salt and pepper scallops on both sides.


Caramelized Scallops with a Balsamic Reduction Sauce
(Recipe adapted from This Primal Life)


Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp butter

For the Scallops:

1 lb scallops
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp butter
fresh basil
a pinch of sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar over medium/medium high heat until reduced by half.  Add butter and stir gently until blended, set aside (the sauce will thicken somewhat as it cools).

2. Prepare the scallops (see above prep note). 

3. Heat ½ of the butter in a sautee pan (I used a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat until the butter just begins to brown. 

4. Gently lay ½ of the scallops in the pan and let them cook for 2 minutes (space them out so they are not touching).  Don?t move, stir or otherwise disturb them during this time as you want them to develop a nice, toasty carmelized crust from the natural sugars in the scallop.  (As the "bottom" is cooking, sometimes I like to sprinkle a teeny, tiny bit of sugar on the scallop. When flipped over to cook the "top," the sugar crystalizes and makes an even crunchier crust.)

5. Gently turn them over with tongs and continue to cook for another 1 ? 2 minutes. 

6. Transfer scallops to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining scallops.

7. Spoon sauce onto plates, top with scallops, and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Viola!


Ina Garten's Roasted Carrots
( The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook )


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