Scallops with Pine Nuts & Dried Tomato
Submitted by dwellerofeternity
Seared bay scallops in a white wine butter sauce with pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh lemon. A quick, elegant seafood dinner ready in 20 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minSeared bay scallops in a fast pan sauce built from white wine, shallots, and sun-dried tomatoes. This is restaurant technique made simple on a weeknight stovetop.
The trick is cooking the scallops hard and fast for just 90 seconds, then pulling them out while you build the sauce. They finish cooking gently when returned to the pan at the end, so they stay tender instead of turning rubbery.
Reducing the wine with the scallop juices concentrates all that briny sweetness into a glossy sauce. Cold butter whisked in at the end gives it body and shine without needing cream. Pine nuts add a buttery crunch that plays off the chewy dried tomatoes.
Pro Tips
- Pat scallops bone-dry before they hit the pan. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Wet scallops steam instead of browning.
- Get that oil close to smoking before adding the scallops. High heat for a short time is what creates the golden crust without overcooking the center.
- Whisk the butter in off high heat so it emulsifies into the sauce instead of breaking and turning greasy.
- The scallops release liquid while resting on the plate. Pour every drop of that liquid into the pan. That’s pure concentrated flavor.
Variations
- Swap bay scallops for sea scallops. Sear them about 2 minutes per side and skip cutting them in half.
- Use kalamata olives instead of pine nuts for a Mediterranean twist.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the shallots for gentle heat.
Ingredients
Directions
If the dired tomatoes are packed in oil, drain and pat them dry on a towel.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
When the oil is almost smoking, toss in the scallops and cook for 30 seconds without stirring.
Stir with a wooden spoon and let cook another minute.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the scallops to a plate.
They should be only partially cooked.
Discard the fat from the skillet.
Return the skillet to high heat, add the shallots, garlic, wine, lemon juice and dried tomatoes.
Boil, reducing wine by half.
Meanwhile, the scallops will have released a certain amount of liquid.
Pour this into the pan and reduce until thick.
Return the scallops and add the pine nuts to the pan, reduce the heat to low, whisk in the butter and add the chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
Pour onto a serving platter.
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