Grilled Sea Scallops
Scallops are the fastest luxury on the grill - four minutes a side - and this restored preparation keeps every supporting flavor in one saucepan: butter, soft onion, garlic and fresh lemon, used first as a toss and then, boiled, as the finishing sauce. Dinner-party food on a weeknight timeline.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/2 pounds large sea scallops
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Method
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and salt.
- Place the scallops in a large bowl and toss with the butter mixture. Let stand about 2 minutes.
- Thread the scallops onto skewers, or use a wire grill basket. Cook on the preheated grill about 4 minutes per side, until opaque with golden grill marks.
- Meanwhile, return the butter mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and keep warm. Toss with the grilled scallops, scatter with parsley, and serve.
Notes from the Grill
Buy 'dry' scallops if you can - the untreated kind sear instead of steaming - and blot them well before the butter toss. The boil in step five matters: the butter touched raw seafood, and a full rolling boil makes it a safe, silky sauce. Don't walk away; scallops travel from silken to rubbery in about ninety seconds.
Serving Ideas
Serve over angel hair pasta or with grilled bread to chase the lemon butter, with a crisp white wine. Six scallops per person makes a main course; three apiece, still on the skewer, makes the most elegant appetizer on this site.