Name: Seared Scallops with Corn Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut from cob; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 tablespoons butter; salt to taste; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 12 large sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry; 1 red Fresno pepper, thinly sliced; 2 teaspoons canola oil; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste; 1 splash water; 1 tablespoon butter, or more to taste; 0.5 lemon, juiced; 0.25 cup radish sprouts, or to taste

Seared Scallops with Corn Cream

4.9

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45 Reviews

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This recipe for seared scallops on fresh corn cream shows that you can take a few seasonal ingredients, put them together simply and quickly, and produce something pretty special. There are three keys to producing sufficiently seared scallops. First, they must be perfectly dry. Second, the oil goes on the cold scallops, not in the hot pan. Third, your pan must be extremely hot, which means you have to use a very heavy, cast iron or stainless steel pan.

Recipe by Chef John

Published on October 10, 2019

Prep Time:

15 mins

Cook Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

35 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

Corn Cream:

2 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut from cob
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
salt to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Scallops:

12 large sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1 red Fresno pepper, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
1 splash water
1 tablespoon butter, or more to taste
½ lemon, juiced
¼ cup radish sprouts, or to taste

Directions

Stir corn kernels, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter, cayenne pepper, and salt together in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until corn is tender, about 5 minutes.
Pour corn mixture into a blender no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Puree in batches until smooth. Pour pureed corn mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Season with salt to taste.
Toss scallops, Fresno pepper, canola oil, kosher salt, and smoked paprika in a bowl until scallops are completely coated. Separate pepper slices from scallops.
Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Cook scallops in hot skillet until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side until cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Cook and stir sliced peppers on the side of the skillet while the scallops are cooking.
Remove skillet from heat; transfer scallops to a plate, leaving peppers in hot skillet. Stir water and 1 tablespoon butter into peppers until butter melts. Drizzle lemon juice over peppers; stir to glaze peppers completely.
Divide corn cream between four bowls. Place 3 scallops over corn puree and top with glazed peppers. Garnish with radish sprouts.

Cook's Note:

You can substitute grapeseed oil for the canola oil, if desired. You can substitute water for the chicken broth, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

276	Calories
13g	Fat
18g	Carbs
23g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 276
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g	17%
Saturated Fat 6g	30%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 987mg	43%
Total Carbohydrate 18g	7%
Dietary Fiber 2g	8%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 23g
Vitamin C 28mg	141%
Calcium 37mg	3%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 635mg	14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.