Grill Seared Scallops With Pistachio Tarragon Butter Food

GRILL-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH PISTACHIO-TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Oil 2 cast-iron skillets or a cast-iron grill griddle and preheat on the grill.
• To make the brown butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep cooking until the butter starts to bubble and turn a medium brown and has a nutty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. (Do not let the butter get too dark. That would be burned.). Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of the melted pistachio butter into a ramekin to use on the raw scallops while grilling. Reserve the rest of the butter mixture as a serving sauce; keep warm.
• Brush the sea scallops with the melted butter mixture from the ramekin and place on the prepared grill rack or griddle. Grill for about 3 minutes before turning. If the scallops stick, cook them a little longer, until they turn easily. After turning, grill long enough to heat through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Watch carefully because little too long over the flames and they become tough and rubbery. If the scallops aren't done enough, you can always put them back on the grill for 30 seconds or so. You can't undo overcooked scallops.
• Drizzle the seared scallops with the reserved warm pistachio-tarragon brown butter and serve.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BACON, TARRAGON AND LEMON

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp but not dry and drain on a piece of paper towel. Leave 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pan (there probably won't be much more than that, but discard any extra if there is).
• Season the scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high, add the butter, and sear the scallops until brown and glossy, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the scallops to a plate and set aside.
• Remove pan from heat and add the vermouth and lemon juice. Now return the skillet to the heat and stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the water.
• While the sauce reduces, slice the scallops in half vertically. Slip them into the reduced sauce with the tarragon, parsley, and bacon bits and give the skillet a swirl to bring everything together. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Divide the scallops with their sauce among small plates or Asian soup spoons and serve immediately.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TARRAGON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper (total).
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sear scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
• Add shallot, wine, and vinegar to skillet and boil, scraping up brown bits, until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add juices from platter and if necessary boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to low and add 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until almost melted, then add remaining 3 tablespoons butter and swirl until incorporated and sauce has a creamy consistency. Stir in tarragon and salt to taste; pour sauce over scallops.

SEA SCALLOPS WITH BROWN BUTTER, CAPERS AND LEMON

Steps:

• Pat scallops dry with paper towels, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan or nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. After 30 seconds, add scallops; do not crowd pan, work in batches if necessary. Sauté until well browned, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook other side. When second side is dark golden, transfer scallops to a platter; cover and keep warm.
• Return sauté pan to heat, add butter, and cook until it begins to foam and turn golden. Add shallot and capers, sauté for 1 minute, then add lemon juice (being careful to avoid sputtering butter) and chopped parsley.
• To serve, place 3 scallops on each of 4 warmed plates. Spoon butter, shallots and capers over scallops, and serve.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH PISTACHIO DRESSING

Steps:

• In a mortar, crush the anise seeds with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the garlic. Place pistachios and tarragon in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add anise mixture, oil, sherry and lemon juice. Process to a thick paste. Transfer to a small saucepan. Whisk in stock or water. Heat on low until tepid. Turn off heat.
• Heat a cast iron skillet or a griddle to very hot. Dry scallops. Brush a slick of oil on the pan, lower heat a bit and place scallops in the pan. Sear on medium-high until handsomely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. You'll know when the scallops have browned enough when they can be lifted with your spatula without ruinous sticking. Lightly dust scallops with salt, then turn them. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until scallops are browned on the bottom and just cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, gently warm the sauce. Whisk and add a smidgen of salt if needed.
• Spoon some of the sauce in the center of each of 4 warm dinner plates. Poise 3 to 4 of the scallops around the edges of the sauce pool and garnish with tarragon.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TARRAGON-BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Pat the scallops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the foam subsides, then sear the scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
• Add the shallot, wine, and vinegar to the skillet and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Add the juices from the platter and if necessary boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Reduce the heat to low and add 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until almost melted, then add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and swirl until incorporated and sauce has a creamy consistency. Stir in the tarragon and salt to taste; pour sauce over scallops.

TARRAGON LOVER'S SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Place half of the scallops in the skillet without crowding; cook until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove scallops to a plate. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon butter in the skillet, and cook remaining scallops. Remove to plate.
• Wipe out skillet, and return skillet to medium heat. Pour in wine, and boil 1 or 2 minutes, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter; just softening butter to form a smooth sauce. Stir in salt, lemon zest, and tarragon. Pour sauce over scallops.