Seared Scallops With Corn Succatosh

By Terry Dagrosa, SeductionMeals.com
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A Seduction Meal does not have to be a full blown gourmet feast nor does it have to cost a lot of money. The  scallop recipe below is the perfect example.  Seared scallops that are basted with a thyme butter sauce, served over a bed of savory vegetables sauteed in butter, topped with a simple, flavorable jus. This scallop dish can be served as an appetizer or a main dish and is sure to please.

The secret to this dish is to not to overcook the scallops or they will become tough. As soon as they turn opaque and white they are done. As with all seafood, buy fresh. Scallops have a distinct, sweet odor when they are fresh. Between taste, quality ingredients, texture, and flavors the simplicity of a dish will shine on its own.


Seared Sea Scallops with Corn Succotash and Scallop Jus
Recipe courtesy of MarxFoods.com

For the Jus

• 2 whole scallops diced (or scallop muscle scrap)
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 leek, diced
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 ½ cup white chicken stock
• olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon of butter

1. Heat sauté pan over medium heatdd olive oil, then the onion - cook until transparent
2. Add carrot - cook until soft
3. Add leek - cook until soft
4. Add wine - cook until almost evaporated
5. Add stock and reduce by ½
6. Top with butter
7. Strain and season, discard vegetables

Succotash

• 6 ears of corn - cut off the cob
• 1 red pepper - small dice with ribs removed
• 1 summer squash - small dice
• 1 zucchini - small dice
• 1 bulb fennel - small dice
• 4 scallions - sliced into rings
• butter
• olive oil

1. Heat a sauté pan large enough to accommodate all ingredients
2. Add olive oil when pan is hot followed by fennel and cook to transparent
3. Add zucchini, squash, and red pepper - cook until slightly soft
4. Add corn, scallions and cook for 2 minutes
5. Add butter and season

Scallops

For superior flavor, look for dry-packed scallops, which are not packed in a solution. Ask your grocer or seafood shop how how the scallops were shipped and try to get #2 dry packed scallops.

• Dry packed scallops - muscles removed, rinsed and patted dry
• peanut oil
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 Tablespoon of butter

1. Heat sauté pan over medium high heat, add peanut oil when hot
2. Season scallops with salt on both sides
3. Add scallops to pan ensuring not to crowd pan as this will prevent a proper sear
4.Cook scallops until well browned
5.Flip and turn heat to medium
6. Add butter and thyme, baste scallops for additional minute
7. Remove from heat and plate immediately

Plating the Dish

Spoon succotash across plate
Place scallops in line on top of succotash
Spoon sauce/jus over the scallops