Pan-Seared Sea Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce New Year Recipe

Remove the tiny, tough side muscle from the scallops if present and rinse if necessary. Dry the scallops very well with a paper towel.

Heat a large cast iron pan or thick-bottom nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the olive oil and ½ tablespoon of the butter, and swirl to coat the pan.

Place the scallops in the pan and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Sear on the first side, without touching or flipping, for about 3 minutes, or until golden.

Using tongs, turn the scallops over, season with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and sear for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the scallops are just cooked through.

Move the scallops to a plate. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 3½ tablespoons butter to the skillet. As the butter is melting, add the lemon juice and swirl the pan a few times, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.

Add the scallops back in the skillet, baste with the sauce to warm, and then divide onto 4 plates, using all the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.