Soy-Butter Basted Scallops With Wilted Greens and Sesame
Published Aug. 20, 2020
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound large sea scallops, patted dry
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil, plus more as needed
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2tablespoons soy sauce
- 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
- 1½pounds baby spinach or other tender greens
- 1teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Lime wedges, for serving
- 2tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
- Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
- Steamed rice, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
348 calories; 19 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 21 grams protein; 1021 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Season the scallops well with salt and pepper. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and, when it shimmers, add the scallops. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to brown and form a crust on the bottom.
- Step 2
Flip the scallops, add the butter and soy sauce to the pan and use a spoon to repeatedly drizzle the sauce over the tops of the scallops to finish cooking, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Step 3
Set the scallops on an oven-safe plate and pour the butter mixture on top. Place the plate in the oven to keep the scallops warm while you finish the rest of the dish.
- Step 4
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil to the skillet and heat over medium. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook until the garlic is pale golden, about 2 minutes, adding a teaspoon or so more of grapeseed oil if needed. Return the heat to medium-high and add the spinach, in batches, if needed, and season with salt. Toss until the spinach wilts, adding a few teaspoons of water to help it along, if needed, and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat.
- Step 5
Add the scallops back to the pan and pour any residual butter-sauce over top. Drizzle the dish with sesame oil and a good squeeze of lime. Top with scallions and sesame seeds, if using, and serve with rice.
Private Notes
Comments
Followed the recipe almost exactly, and it came out really delicious. Only adjustments were to leave the extra sauce in the pan to cook with the spinach & garlic, and to add a generous splash of mirin to the greens instead of water. Served with dashi-infused brown rice topped with my favorite furikake. Definitely a keeper!
The family really liked this. We had a lot more scallops than called for in the recipe, which required a few adjustments. I recommend, if you do not have a cast iron skillet, just using a regular pan to ensure that you get the crust on the scallops. I also found it unnecessary to put the scallops in the oven. You can just cover them because the spinach takes so little time to cook. A baguette is also recommended to soak up the yummy sauce.
I did this as written, but did the veggies first and placed on a holding dish. I then did the scallops as outlined. When the butter-soy goes in the pan, I basted them all, then re-added the veggies. This gave me much more control of the scallops and they did not become rubbery, as some experienced putting them in the oven. I also found the soy overpowered the delicate flavour of the scallops. Next time I will reduce the soy to 1 tablespoon and add a tablespoon of water. But overall, delicious.
Amazingly delicious dish for very little effort. I simplified it a little more by cooking the greens with garlic and pepper flakes (spinach in my case) separately. No need to hold the scallops in the oven. Just sear them, take them out, make the sauce, add the scallops back. They will be cooked through from the carryover heat, but won't get rubbery.
I made this last night and it was amazing. Such a rich tasting dish. I followed some other notes and did not transfer scallops to the oven, and it came out perfect. I added onions instead of scallions, and an alternate green. Definitely recommend, and will make this again.
I made this exactly as the recipe calls for but omitting the step of placing the cooked scallops in the oven. They go dry and rubbery so quickly so I just put them aside covered. I served it with coconut rice and it was scrumptious.
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