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These Scallops Beurre Blanc are one of my favorite scallop recipes. They are so flavorful and easy to make. Scallops can be your main or appetizer and they go well with so many different things, but this sauce is one of my favorite sauces to pair them with. Full disclosure, the sauce is NOT a true beurre blanc. The whole point of a beurre blanc is that it is a very delicate sauce, light color and subtle taste. It is usually just shallots, white wine, white wine vinegar that you reduce to almost nothing and then you emulsify the butter, quite a bit of butter actually. In this case, I used the same pan that I seared the scallops in to make my sauce. I also added a lot of things that don’t normally go in a beurre blanc – hence the name – Dirty Beurre Blanc Scallops.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Dirty Beurre Blanc Scallops
One of the most common requests I get is how to cook scallops properly. A lot of people shy away from cooking them when in reality they are truly one of the easiest proteins to cook. However, there are some tips that will help you get them right every single time, and I am sharing below! These pan seared scallops with dirty ginger beurre blanc is a flavor packed recipe that is impossible to resist – and whether you have these scallops as your main or an appetizer – they are here to impress. I promise you guys, you are going to love it.
Prep Like a Pro
Dry those scallops like your crust depends on it – After removing the foot, pat your scallops dry. Then give them a quick blast with your hair dryer on cool. This will give you that restaurant quality pan seared scallop every time.
Chop and separate your scallions – You will be using the white parts in the sauce and the greens for topping.
Measure, measure, measure – Get everything measured out before the scallops even hit the pan. The Dirty Beurre Blanc comes together fast so have your ginger, sake, mirin tamari and butter all ready to go.
Make sure you butter is cold for the sauce – This will help the butter to emulsify into the sauce so don’t use your room temperature butter for this.
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🔥Chef Nadia’s Tips🔥
- Buy ‘dry’ scallops, this means they are not previously injected with water and sodium tripolyphosphate. You want dry scallops because they develop a nice hard sear when you cook them as opposed to wet scallops that release that liquid while cooking.
- Always make sure the surface of your scallops are very dry. You can let them sit in the fridge uncovered for one hour. Another option is use a hair dryer on cool or a portable fan to draw excess moisture out. This will help develop a nice crust while searing.
- When searing these Dirty Beurre Blanc Scallops, DON’T mess with them. That will help them develop that nice golden crust.
- My restaurant secret to getting that beautiful hard sear without overcooking is searing longer on one side and taking them out before they are fully cooked. As they rest, they will continue cooking.
- Don’t overcook them or they will be rubbery.
- If you buy frozen, look for IQF which means they are individually quick frozen to preserve their freshness and quality.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have salsa macha, no problem! You can just use chili crisps in its place.
- If you can’t find mirin, it’s okay to just substitute it with more saki.
- If you want to make this dairy-free you can easily swap the butter for vegan butter and you’ve got it!
The Perfect Pairings
Let’s start this night out with a Cucumbertini, it’s clean, slightly sweet and gorgeous. If you are having this as your main, you could start out with Shrimp Wonton Tostadas to go with the theme. If you want this Dirty Beurre Blanc Scallop recipe to be your appetizer, Braised Short Ribs with Polenta is a great follow up. Finish your night with a creamy Berry Panna Cotta.
Dirty Ginger Beurre Blanc Scallops: Questions Answered
U-10 scallops means there are under 10 scallops per pound. This will make sure each one is big enough that they will be large, meaty and perfect for that golden sear and soft center.
Removing the excess water is key to that beautiful golden sear that you see in this recipe. Just remember, the drier the surface – the better the sear. Just make sure your blowdryer is on cool!
They should have that golden sear and feel firm to the touch. If they get rubbery you have overcooked them. Just keep an eye on the clock.
Dirty Ginger Beurre Blanc Scallops
Equipment
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb U-10 scallops
- salt and pepper, or seasoning salt, to taste
- 2 scallions, separate white and green part
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped
- 3 tbsp sake
- ⅓ cup mirin
- 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
- 1 lemon, zest only
- salsa macha, salsa macha recipe or chili crisp, to taste
Instructions
- Cut off the foot of the scallop and pat dry really well. Take a fan or a hair dryer on cool and pass it through the scallops for about a minute.
- Season scallops with salt and pepper.
- Preheat a pan on high for 2 minutes and then add a bit of olive oil. Lower the heat to medium-high and sear the scallops on for 3-4 minutes on one side, flip, and sear for another minute. If the scallops are small, sear for less time. Remove from pan.
- In the same pan, drizzle a touch more olive oil and add the white part of scallions, ginger, sake and mirin. Reduce by ¾ and turn the heat off. Add in tamari and cold butter and emulsify.
- Serve the scallops over the sauce with lemon zest, salsa macha and green part of scallions and that is it!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
