Category: Fish & Seafood -

Butter-Basted Scallops     

Ingredients:
2 cups apple cider
1 bay leaf
1¼ lb. large scallops
Salt
4 tbsp. (½ stick) butter
2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane or minced
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1 tbsp. whole grain or Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chopped chives
1 tsp. red chile flakes, such as Aleppo or gochugaru
grits cooked with thyme

Preparation:
Pour the cider into a small saucepan, add the bay leaf, and place over medium heat. Reduce the cider to ½ cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the bay leaf, and reserve the liquid.

Meanwhile, place the scallops on a plate, season with salt, and let them rest for 10–15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.

Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Place the scallops in the pan and cook, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes, until deeply colored. Flip the scallops and add the remaining 3 tbsp. butter, the garlic, and thyme to the pan. Tilt the pan toward you and use a large soup spoon to baste the scallops with butter. Cook this way for about 1 minute. Remove the scallops from the pan to a serving platter.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the cider reduction and mustard. Bring to a simmer and whisk to emulsify with the butter. Remove from the heat and add the chives and chile flakes.

Spoon the sauce over the scallops and serve over grits with thyme.

Date added: 2025-10-23
Number of visits: 167