Seared Scallops with Orange-Ginger Sauce

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If New Year’s Eve is a night when you want to cook something lovely, flavorful, but light, try Seared Scallops with Orange-Ginger Sauce. We had them as an appetizer. But over a bed of rice with baby greens for a salad,… LOVELY.

The orange-ginger sauce might sound a little ???, but I am here to report, we could NOT slow down scarfing these at a Gourmet Club dinner recently. If I wasn’t wearing fancy clothes, I would have licked the serving platter. It is a simple, simple recipe.

Seared Scallops with Orange-Ginger Sauce

• 6 tablespoons chicken broth, low-salt
• 1/4 cup thawed orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 8 large sea scallops (about 3/4 lb.)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Combine chicken broth, orange juice concentrate and ginger in a small bowl.

Set scallops on a plate and drizzle with olive oil to coat. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat (use an exhaust fan).

Add scallops to the hot pan and cook over high heat until they develop an even, rich brown crust, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Remove from the heat and transfer scallops to a plate.

Return empty skillet to the heat and add orange juice mixture; boil until liquid reduces by about half.  Whisk in butter and add scallops, turning to coat. Plate 2 scallops per serving as an appetizer or serve 4 scallops as a main course for two.

Tagged as: appetizer, ginger, hors d'oeuvres, sauce, scallops, seafood, small bites