Being from Nova Scotia, it’s basically in my DNA to love scallops. This recipe is easy to prepare and super quick to make. Perfectly seared scallops in 3 minutes. Yes please!

Whenever possible, I sear the scallops in rendered pork fat (I keep the leftover oil from cooking bacon and store it in the fridge). It adds a ton of flavor to the scallops!

Lemon zest and fresh mint bring a nice freshness to this springtime dish!

Don’t forget to pat the scallops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides before frying.

A mint leaf shape of pea purée, topped with five seared scallops, served on a contrasting white square plate; garnished with small mint leaves.

Sacha Hirschfeld

Seared Scallops with Mint and Pea Purée

Flavorful and Fresh! This dish is a great springtime meal.

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Prep Time 2

Cook Time 15

Total Time 18

Servings: 2

Course: Mains

Cuisine: Seafood

Calories: 308

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

2 cups peas fresh or frozen
2 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano grated
2 tbsp fresh mint packed; reserve a few small leaves for garnish
1 tbsp lemon zest 1 tsp reserved for garnish
1 tbsp salted butter room temperature
1 garlic clove minced
10 scallops side muscle removed
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil If I have rendered pork fat in the fridge I will use that instead. The pork/bacon fat adds so much flavor and depth to the scallops.
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Equipment

1 large skillet heavy-bottomed
1 medium pot
1 pair of tongs for flipping the scallops
1 food processor
1 zester
1 silicone spatula for scraping pea purée from the food processor

Method

Cook peas in a medium pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 2 minutes for frozen. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
Place cooked peas in processor. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, mint leaves, butter, garlic and lemon zest. Purée the pea mixture, adding reserved cooking liquid 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the light and creamy texture that's desired. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, cover and let stand at room temperature. This can be made 1 hour ahead.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil or rendered pork fat in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat scallops dry with paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until golden on the outside and opaque on the inside. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; this is critical in getting that perfect sear. Also, avoid touching or moving the scallops. Let them go for 2 minutes on the first side and a quick 1 minute on the second. Overcooking seafood is a sin!!!
Microwave pea purée in 15 second intervals until warm. Spoon purée into center of plates. Place desired amount of scallops onto each plate, arranging atop purée. Sprinkle with lemon zest, a small handful of mint leaves, sea salt and pepper. Finish with a drizzle of your favorite extra virgin olive oil.

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Seared Scallops with Mint and Pea Purée