Wild scallops sear in minutes to a sweet crust, their briny meat tender at the center. Tonight calls for speed and a hot pan, nothing more than brown butter to show them off. You want the largest, driest scallops you can find.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 330 calories a serving, 28 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Pat dry 1 pound of scallops with paper towels and lay them on a plate; this is the step that makes them crust instead of steam. Season all over with salt and pepper.
2. Set a heavy pan over medium-high heat. When a drop of water skitters across the surface, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and let it foam until the foam subsides and the butter smells nutty, about 2 minutes.2 min
3. Lay the scallops flat in the pan without crowding; if your pan won't hold them all, sear in two batches. Leave them alone—do not shake or turn—until the underside browns deeply, about 2 minutes.2 min
4. Flip each scallop and sear the other side for 1 to 2 minutes more until the flesh is just opaque at the center when you cut into the thickest one; it will keep cooking off the heat. Pour the brown butter from the pan over the scallops and squeeze fresh lemon juice over everything.2 min

Note Swap white fish fillets or shrimp in the same time. Leftovers keep three days refrigerated and are good cold or reheated gently. Serve with crusty bread to soak the brown butter, or with rice or roasted vegetables on the side.