Make these Scallops with Citrus Beurre Blanc and pretend you’re at a fancy restaurant

Is anyone else getting cooking fatigue? I enjoy cooking so much, but at this point, a quick dinner on the table is a welcome reprieve. Restaurant meals are so few and far between these days, but the desire to have a somewhat fancy, delicious meal is strong.

Scallops are a fun center-of-the-plate option, and topping them with a citrus beurre blanc sauce just takes the dish to the next level. Serve this fancy main with a side of asparagus risotto, and perhaps you’ll feel like you’re at a nice restaurant. If only there were waiters and dishwashers at home. Oh wait, there are – it’s you and me.

A couple of months ago, a dinner journal sounded like a good idea during this pandemic. Dinner is the best meal of the day, and it just seemed like an interesting way to keep track of what was going on in the kitchen. It’s been interesting to see people who hardly cooked at all really dig into learning, and then others opt for simple food.

A friend gifted me a subscription to YesChef, an an online learning platform in its infancy, which has been enjoyable. Its video lessons offer a treat for the eyes and taste buds. I’ve watched a video or two, but haven’t cooked from it just yet. It’s always nice to get inspiration from a new platform, especially when it’s so visually pleasing.

Carry on, chefs. And pour yourself a crispy French Rose with this week’s recipe.

Sea Scallops with Citrus Beurre Blanc

Citrus Beurre Blanc:

¼ cup finely chopped shallots

¼ cup champagne vinegar

¼ cup grapefruit juice

10 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes

2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

6 to 8 sea scallops

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sea salt

6 blood orange or grapefruit segments

To make the citrus beurre blanc, combine the shallots, vinegar and grapefruit juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and reduce by half, 6 to 7 minutes. Whisk in 5 tablespoons of the butter, then remove from the heat and add remaining 5 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and keep warm.

Remove scallops from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat until it’s hot, hot, hot, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gently dab the scallops with paper towels to remove any excess water. When the skillet is ready, melt the tablespoon of butter in it, add the scallops, and sear for 1 minute on each side. Remove from the pan and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on each side.

To serve, spread a spoonful of the beurre blanc at the bottom of the plate, place the scallops on top, and garnish with the blood orange segments.

From “Balaboosta” by Einat Admony