Seared Scottish King Scallops with Chive Beurre Blanc

Name: Seared Scottish King Scallops with Chive Beurre Blanc
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: Serves 1 - 2
Ingredients: 2-3 per person Scottish King Scallops, roe removed; Handful spinach; 1/2 shallot, thinly sliced; 100ml Pinot grigio or white wine alternative; 50ml white wine vinegar; 250g French butter, cold and diced; Handful chives, finely chopped; 2 cloves wet garlic; Olive oil; Salt; Whole peppercorns

Feeds 1 - 2 people
Prep time 5m
Cook time 10m

Description

A classic starter of seared scallops served with a rich beurre blanc. This scallop recipe is perfect for when you have an elegant dining occasion and want to impress your guests. Once you’ve learnt the basics of this French sauce you can scale up or down depending on the number of people you are serving. The star of this simple dish is the King Scallop, fresh from Scotland.

Ingredients

2-3 per person Scottish King Scallops, roe removed
Handful spinach
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
100ml Pinot grigio or white wine alternative
50ml white wine vinegar
250g French butter, cold and diced
Handful chives, finely chopped
2 cloves wet garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Whole peppercorns

Method

Prep the shallots and chives. Place onions and whole peppercorns in a saucepan with a glug of pinot grigio and a splash of white wine vinegar. Bring to the boil until heavily reduced to about a tablespoon. Sieve to remove onions and peppercorns and return liquid to pan.
Keep on a medium low heat and gradually whisk in the cold butter, one piece at a time. Continue adding in until the liquid thickens and emulsifies into a smooth, glossy sauce. Salt to taste and add the chives. Set aside and keep warm in a bain-marie to prevent the beurre blanc from splitting. This sauce is best served immediately, so you can also make it after searing the scallops.
Heat up a frying pan and add olive oil, a few cloves of garlic, and a knob of butter. Add the spinach and a splash of white wine. Sauté for a few mins and add to a plate for serving (we sieve ours to remove excess liquid).
Now prep the scallops by removing the roe (don’t throw the roe away! You can keep it for another sauce) and salt generously on both sides. Add a bit more oil to the frying pan and then place the scallops in. Let sear for a few mins before flipping to sear on the other side or until lightly golden. Place on top of the spinach. Gently re-heat the sauce if it has cooled too much and pour over the scallops.

Seared Scottish King Scallops with Chive Beurre Blanc

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