I have been so, so excited to share this dish with you.  This meal was knock-your-socks-off good.  So good that the whole time I was eating it, I felt a degree of disbelief that it had come from my own kitchen instead of a fancy restaurant.  The scallops are dipped in sugar and sautéed in clarified butter, literally creating a caramel coating on the outside.  The sweet caramel flavor is subtle and with the white wine pan sauce, it is a wonderful compliment to the scallops.  This is a recipe I’ll be glad to have in my pocket when I’m looking for a special occasion meal or a dish to impress.

Prep Time

    •    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    •    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

    •    8 chives
    •    1 tbsp lemon zest
    •    pinch of kosher salt
    •    12 large sea scallops
    •    ½ cup dry white wine
    •    4 tbsps clarified butter
    •    freshly ground black pepper
    •    1 tbsp finely chopped flat parsley
    •    juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed
    •    ½ cup white sugar, spread on a flat plate

Method

1. Rinse and dry the scallops well.  Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a skillet on medium-high for 2 minutes.  Add the clarified butter and swirl to coat the pan.  When the butter begins to foam, prepare the scallops quickly.  Working efficiently, coat one side of each scallop in sugar, grasping the sides and using a gentle twisting motion to help the sugar adhere.  Place the scallops sugar side down in the skillet and sauté for 2½ minutes.  If the sugar starts to brown too quickly, reduce the heat.  Flip the scallops over and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan and reduce by half, about 1½ minutes.  Transfer the scallops to a platter or serving dishes.  Pour the pan juices over the top and garnish with chopped parsley, chives and lemon zest.  Serve immediately.

This great family recipe is thanks to Everyday Yannie Recipes at http://everydayannie.com/2011/07/13/caramelized-scallops/?utm_campaign=yummly&utm_medium=yummly&utm_source=yummly