Delicious pan seared scallops in a champagne butter paired with fresh sage are a great holiday party appetizer and of course great for New Year’s Eve. It’s light enough that it can be served along side other appetizers for large parties and elegant enough for intimate sit down dinners.

Champagne is often associated with being the festive cocktail of the holiday season and of course New Year’s Eve. You can’t go wrong with a nice glass of bubbly during this time of year but why not cook with it and add it to sauces while you have it on hand. We’ve been wanting to make something with a champagne butter for a while now and pairing it with scallops over the holidays seemed like a great opportunity to introduce something refined and festive all in one.

As with most seafood, scallops are quick to cook. They are easy to prepare and all you need to do is make sure they are nice and dry before adding to the pan. We kept things simple here with a few steps and minimal amount of ingredients to make things easier when cooking. Everything can be chopped and prepared a head and kept refridgerated until ready to serve except for the champagne only open when ready to add to the pan.

Scallops make for a quick dish that’s simple to prepare but looks and tastes more elaborate that screams sophistication. The sear on the scallops not only adds a depth of flavor but helps seal in the juices. By making sure the scallops are dry and adding them when the pan is hot this will help ensure you get a good sear. Make sure not to overcrowd your pan and don’t leave them unattended as you don’t want to overcook the scallops. When cooked to perfection the scallops are soft, have a slight sweetness and crips crust. Scallops can easily go from being perfectly cooked to overcooked in a a quick minute and you’ll be left with tough, rubbery and fishy scallops that aren’t enjoyable. So be sure to stick by their side while they cook and remove them immediately when ready.

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seared scallops in champagne butter

Delicious pan seared scallops in a champagne butter

Author: the communal feast

Ingredients

• 1 lb scallops fresh or frozen, patted dry. (if frozen thaw and bring to room temperature)
• ½ cup champagne
• 3 TBS butter
• 10 sage leaves chopped
• ½ lemon juiced
• 2 shallots roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• 1. In a large sauce pan heat butter until warm and begins to melt. Add shallots and slowly start to pour in a bit of champagne. Let cook until reduced (about half), add more champagne once reduced and add half of the fresh sage. Place scallops in the pan leaving space in between as to not overcrowd. Drizzle with lemon juice and cook until seared on both sides about 3-5 minutes per side depending on the size. Let scallops cook untouched. Repeat until all the scallops are cooked and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
• 2. To thicken the sauce add more champagne if needed and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the heavy cream, whisking until the sauce thickens.
• 3. To serve: place scallops in a serving dish, drizzle with the sauce and top with the remaining sage.
• 4. Serve immediately.