Scallops Provencal

I'd never had scallops before last night....and I'd been watching people make them on Top Chef and hearing how wonderful they were from so many people that I finally decided to give them a try. I went on a crazy Scallop Recipe hunt and found this Scallop Provencal recipe at Annie's Eats and thought, well nothing provencal could ever be bad, so let's try it! And I was absolutely right mmmm....I served mine with steamed kale and basmati rice. The sauce of the scallops adds just the right amount of rich flavor to keep those two components flavorful.

Read more below for recipes and photos...

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Ingredients (we made a half recipe which was enough for 2 large helpings)
1 lb. fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black peper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
½ cup minced shallots (about 2 large)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2-3 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, halved

Directions

• If using bay scallops, leave them whole.  If using sea scallops, cut them in half horizontally (or, leave them whole and cook a bit longer). 
  
• Season the scallops with kosher salt and black pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
  
• In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling.  Add the scallops to the pan in a single layer.  Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on one side without moving. (Seriously, only touch them to flip them. Otherwise they'll fall to pieces.) 
  
• Then turn and brown lightly on the other side.  This should take about 3-4 minutes total (closer to 8 minutes for sea scallops left whole).
• Add the rest of the butter to the pan with the scallops and let it melt. 
  
• Add the shallots, garlic, and parsley to the pan and sauté for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. 
  
• Add the wine to the pan and cook for 1 minute. 
  
• Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust as necessary.  Serve hot, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the scallops.
  
  

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