Truth be told, my family is not one to celebrate holidays like Mother’s and Father’s Day. Normally, a phone call would suffice, but this year’s a little different for us. Not to get into too much detail, but my family, especially my mother, has had a rough 2023. This year I bucked tradition and decided to make Mother’s Day special. She requested scallops, and I was happy to oblige. Here are the ingredients:
- 12-14 sea scallops
- Zest and juice of 2 oranges
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped fine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 Tbsp butter
Yeah, I know it’s a short ingredient list. This recipe is also going to be a short one. Sometimes. though the best food is the easiest, simplest food. The first step is to zest and juice the oranges into a small saucepan. Add the balsamic vinegar and put over medium heat. Let this start to bubble reduce for a few minutes. Once it’s darkened and is slightly thicker, add the chicken stock and cook another couple of minutes. If you don’t do this, the sauce will be incredibly acidic and will not be good. I learned this the hard way when tasting it. Remember, reducing things concentrates their flavor. Add the basil and cook for another 20 seconds before turning off the heat.
Put a sauté pan on medium-high heat and let that bad boy get hot. Season your scallops generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Make sure to take that little abductor muscle off the side (p.s. I forgot to because I’m an amateur). If you’ve never cooked scallops, they are a fickle beast. Much like tuna steak, they go from perfect to shoe leather in the blink of an eye. Once the pan is smoking hot (literally) add the oil and then add the butter. Set a time to 1 minute and 15 seconds. Once the butter has melted, drop the scallops in a pan. Start the timer. After 1:15, slip over and cook for no more than 45 seconds. These are what mine looked like on the more cooked side.
After no more than 45 seconds, remove the scallops. Plate scallops and spoon sauce over each. Serve them with whatever sides you wish. For Mother’s Day, I accompanied them with some delicious risotto (recipe here: https://whatsupnewp.com/2020/10/tiny-kitchen-magic-simple-risotto/) and my signature Brussels sprouts. Mom was pleased, and that was all that mattered. You will also be pleased if you try this recipe out. Thanks for reading, and see you next month.
Confession: I cooked this meal in my parents’ not-so-tiny kitchen. Whatever… Also, no paper plates this time around. We used my grandmother’s old plates. It seemed fitting. Love you, Mom!!
