Scallops, celebrated for their delicate texture and amazing, buttery flavor are surprisingly easy to prepare. This makes them a perfect light — yet nutritious — appetizer or small meal for this time of year. If you’re lucky, you might even have some arugula or loose-leaf lettuce from your garden to use as a garnish. This dish, often seen on reality cooking shows, may be intimidating for some home cooks, but it can easily be recreated at home.
In this article, I will guide you through each step to easily prepare this meal like a pro. On top of that, you will learn how to prepare a delicious spicy sauce that can be adapted into other meals as well. And finally, you’ll get some tips and ideas on plating this meal so you can transform your creation into a fine dining experience. Get ready to impress yourself and your guests with this simple yet elegant dish.
Because cooking scallops is quick, it is best to first prepare everything else, this includes rinsing and drying the arugula and making the spicy sauce. Arugula can be easily substituted with mixed loose-leaf lettuce or even microgreens. If it looks and tastes fresh, it will work great. The sauce provides a surprisingly great flavor profile and adds a little kick of spiciness and heat; which nicely complements the scallops.
Scallops with Spicy Sauce
4 servings (3 to 4 scallops per serving)
Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes
Scallops are famous for their delicateness, which is why they are considered very fancy, but they are also super easy to prepare. I will provide you with all the necessary steps for success, and as a bonus, I also will share with you a recipe for a delicious sauce and plating tips. You will be shocked at how fast you will have this meal done.
Ingredients:
For scallops:
2 tablespoons frying oil
1 pound (about 14 to 16 pieces) scallops (fresh or defrosted in the refrigerator)
Juice from 1/2 of one lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
For spicy sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 of one lemon
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
For final touch:
About 1/4 ounce arugula or mixed loose-leaf lettuce
Drizzle of olive oil
4 slices of lemon
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Directions:
For the spicy sauce: Place into a medium mixing bowl: mayonnaise, lemon juice, Sriracha sauce, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper. Stir together with a whisk until fully incorporated (about 30 seconds). Place aside for a later step.
Tip: Optimally fill squeeze bottles for upcoming plating.
For scallops: Rinse scallops under cold water and then place them on a plate. Evenly squeeze part of the lemon on the top of the scallops and gently drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper the scallops. Turn and squeeze the lemon on top again, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
To pan fry scallops: Preheat frying pan on high heat with 2 tablespoons frying oil. Place scallops inside. Tip: If your pan is big enough, place scallops just around the inner diameter (start at 12 o’clock). It will help you track which ones were placed first and allow you to turn them in the same order.
Pan fry one side for about 2 minutes, then turn and pan fry the other side until done (another 2 minutes).*
For plating: Place 3 to 4 scallops in the center of each plate and leave about a 3-inch diameter empty in the center. Place about 1/4 of the arugula in the empty center of each plate. Gently drizzle arugula with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a slice of lemon on top of the arugula. Decorate the plate with the sauce.
Tip: Use your imagination. You can drizzle the entire meal, or you can place a little bit on each scallop, or you can place a little bit in front of each scallop.
*Check with a food thermometer to make sure that you have reached the desired temperature; optionally, slightly extend the cooking time as you wish. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sets the minimum safe internal temperature of shellfish as 145 degrees.
To make the sauce, simply place mayonnaise, lemon juice, Sriracha sauce, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl and thoroughly stir with a whisk until fully combined. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. If you have a chef's squeeze bottle, you can pour the sauce into it for the upcoming plating. But if you don't, as most people don't, then put the sauce in a pastry bag or even a freezer bag. Just don't cut the tip until you're ready to plate later.
The entire scallop preparation is very simple and straightforward. Unless you are lucky enough to obtain fresh scallops, make sure that the scallops are fully defrosted. Place them from the freezer into the refrigerator and let them defrost. It may take an entire day, but it's better to plan ahead than risk a foodborne illness by defrosting on the countertop. Do not defrost in the microwave, as this will make the scallops rubbery.
When the scallops are fully defrosted, rinse them under cold water to fully remove surface bacteria. Place them on a plate and ensure that excess water is drained. Then squeeze lemon over the scallops and gently drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, turn them over, and repeat the entire process starting with the lemon.
For cooking scallops, it’s best to use a large frying pan. The pan needs to be big enough so you can place all the scallops in a single layer across the inner diameter. This will give you full control over the scallops' cooking. Use a well-seasoned stainless-steel pan or a non-stick pan.
Preheat the pan with frying oil over medium-high to high heat. Then, place the scallops in one by one, starting at the 12 o'clock position (opposite you) and working clockwise around the entire diameter. This process will likely take about 30 seconds. Once all scallops are in, let them cook for an additional one and a half minutes.
Then, start turning the scallops over in the same order as you placed them — the first one to be turned will be the one at the 12 o'clock position. Cook for an additional one and a half minutes.
Remove the pan with the scallops from the burner and ensure they are fully cooked (extend cooking time if needed). Experienced chefs will know by touch, but for most, it's best to verify with a food thermometer that they have reached 145 degrees. The described time should cook most scallops to absolute perfection.
And finally, it's time for plating. For each plate, arrange 3 to 4 scallops in the center, leaving a 3-inch diameter empty in the middle. Fill this empty center with about 1/4 arugula. Gently drizzle the arugula with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a lemon slice on top of the arugula.
The final touch is the spicy sauce. If your sauce isn't in a squeeze bottle, now is the time to cut the tip of your pastry bag or freezer bag. Some enjoy placing a little bit of sauce on each scallop, while others prefer to drizzle the entire meal. I usually squeeze out a little bit of sauce in front of each scallop, allowing everyone to use the amount of sauce that matches their liking while not prematurely cooling the warm scallops.
Your scallops are ready to serve. I enjoy it best with a white dry French wine. Some may also serve it with herb baguette to make this appetizer more filling.
So, it wasn't too difficult, was it?
Good to know
· For this and similar recipes, sea scallops are the ideal choice. While bay scallops share a similar flavor profile, their smaller size is not suitable for the presentation and overall experience we're aiming for. Sea scallops, often simply labeled as "scallops," are significantly larger and offer a more substantial bite. They're typically harvested from cold seawater, ensuring a fresh and delicious taste. While bay scallops might be a more budget friendly option, the larger sea scallops are well worth the investment for this dish.
· Don't overcook the scallops! Cooking time is very short, and you only need about 2 minutes per side to reach the minimum safe internal temperature of 145 degrees. If you're unsure, use a food thermometer, placing the probe in the center of the largest scallop (from the side). Be careful not to cook them beyond the recommended temperature, as this will quickly give them an unpleasant rubbery texture.
· Experiment with the sauce. Feel free to adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the amount of Sriracha sauce. You also can replace the sriracha with ingredients such as fresh herbs, garlic, or ginger to customize the flavor.
Tom Slepicka is the founder of www.cookinghub.com, and is a recipe creator, culinary instructor, chef, and a consultant. You can reach him at tom@cookinghub.com.
