You only need a handful of ingredients to make these amazing pan-fried scallops! Serve with the spiced herby butter sauce on their half shell and prepare to impress.
You will also love my Grilled Lobster Tails
Published July 2014, Updated February 2020
I adore scallops but don’t often make them at home. Not sure why since they are extremely easy to cook, delicious and perfect for entertaining.
They can be quite expensive so I usually serve scallops as a starter – they are perfect for a romantic dinner…
If you buy these scallops at a fishmonger, ask them if they can give you their shells to use as a little serving plate.
These scallops can go from pan to dinner table in a matter of minutes. The spiced butter makes a delicious sauce equally quickly and tastes amazing.
Mop up any juices with bread and lick your fingers surreptitiously afterwards!
BTW don’t throw the shells away after you finish with the scallops. Wash and keep them for serving canapés or use them in the garden as decorative mulching.
Scallops with Spiced Butter Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 large scallops , with shells if possible
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Spiced Butter Sauce
- 125 g | 4.4oz unsalted butter
- 1 chilli , deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced in a garlic press
- 1/2 small bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Limes , quartered to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce. Add the butter in a small saucepan and heat until it melts.
- Add the chopped chilli, garlic and coriander and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Take off the heat, add the lime juice and season to taste. Set aside.
- Season the scallops with salt and pepper.
- If you have the shells, then wash and dry them and then place on a tray in a warm oven to use them for serving the scallops.
- Heat the butter in pan until it starts to foam.
- Add the scallops, in batches if necessary, and sear for a couple of minutes on each side.
- Place the scallops on the shells using tongs.
- Spoon about a tablespoon of the sauce over each one and season.
- Serve hot with some quartered limes on the side.
daisybeebee says
This both looks and sounds divine. I love fresh scallops and this recipe has definitely given me the incentive to buy some.
glennamy says
Love scallops but I rarely get the cooking time correct… thanks for the info.
Samantha Fromm Haddow says
I adore this presentation! Pity scallops in the shell are so hard to find around here.
Nazia @ This Baker Girl Blogs says
They look incredible! I've never eaten scallops but have been wanting to try them for ages.
Jaycee says
I don't like scallops but my husband loves them. So I may attempt this recipe for him.