A weeknight celebration of sweet, tender scallops at their simplest. These wild-caught beauties need little more than a hot pan and brown butter to show their worth. Dinner is ready in fifteen minutes.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 340 calories a serving, 28 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 lb [454 g] wild caught sea scallops, 3 tablespoons butter, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1 lemon.

1. Pat 1 pound of sea scallops dry with paper towels and lay them on a plate; season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it foams and just begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
2. Lay the scallops in the pan without moving them; the pan will sizzle. Let them cook undisturbed until the first side is golden and pulls free easily, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Flip each scallop and cook until the second side is golden and the centers feel just firm when you press them with a finger, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a warm plate.2 min
4. Pour off all but a film of liquid from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 minced garlic cloves over medium heat; stir often as the butter foams and turns hazelnut-brown, about 3 minutes. Pour over the scallops and squeeze half a lemon across them.3 min

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Note Swap white wine for lemon if you have it, adding 2 tablespoons to the butter in the last step. Leftovers keep a day in a covered container; reheat gently. Serve with crusty bread to soak the brown butter, and a green salad or roasted vegetables.