Seared Scallops with Corn Cream

This recipe for seared scallops on fresh corn cream shows that you can take a few seasonal ingredients, put them together simply and quickly, and produce something pretty special. There are three keys to producing sufficiently seared scallops. First, they must be perfectly dry. Second, the oil goes on the cold scallops, not in the hot pan. Third, your pan must be extremely hot, which means you have to use a very heavy, cast iron or stainless steel pan.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Calories: 276 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt to taste
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 red Fresno pepper, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter, or more to taste
• 1 splash water
• 2 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut from cob
• 12 large sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
• ¼ cup radish sprouts, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Stir corn kernels, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until corn is tender, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour corn mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Pour pureed corn mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Season with salt to taste.

Step 3

Toss scallops, Fresno pepper, canola oil, kosher salt, and smoked paprika in a bowl until scallops are completely coated. Separate pepper slices from scallops.

Step 4

Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Cook scallops in hot skillet until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Cook and stir sliced peppers on the side of the skillet while the scallops are cooking.

Step 5

Remove skillet from heat; transfer scallops to a plate, leaving peppers in hot skillet. Stir water and 1 tablespoon butter into peppers until butter melts. Drizzle lemon juice over peppers; stir to glaze peppers completely.

Step 6

Divide corn cream between four bowls. Place 3 scallops over corn puree and top with glazed peppers. Garnish with radish sprouts.