Garlic Butter Scallops

Butter first, then garlic, then scallops. Doing it in that order means the garlic flavors the fat before the scallops ever hit it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb sea scallops, dry packed
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Dry them. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides.
2. Melt the butter. Large skillet over medium heat.
3. Garlic. Add with the red pepper flakes if using. Sauté 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Sear. Scallops in a single layer. 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and opaque.
5. Lemon. Off the heat, squeeze over the scallops.
6. Garnish and serve immediately.

Serving

Serves 2–3. Bread is mandatory — there's garlic butter in that pan.

Pro tips

• Medium heat here, not medium-high. Butter burns faster than oil and you've got garlic in it.
• Thirty seconds on the garlic. It goes from fragrant to bitter fast.
• You'll get slightly less crust than an oil sear. That's the trade for the flavor — take it.
• Spoon the pan butter over each scallop before it leaves the pan.