Seared Scallops with Citrus Beurre Blanc
Serves 4
Ingredients:
12 large sea scallops, trimmed if needed
Sea salt and ground white pepper, to taste
Canola oil for sautéing
For the Citrus Beurre Blanc
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. Carneros Highway Chardonnay
1 small shallot, minced
12 Tbs ( 1 ½ sticks ) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Fresh thyme for garnish
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 200° F.
Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and white pepper and coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
Working in batches, add the scallops and sear on each side until lightly golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
Using a slotted metal spatula, transfer the scallops to a platter and keep warm in the oven.
Preparing the Citrus Beurre Blanc
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the lemon juice, wine, and shallot. Bring to a low boil and cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1 tsp.
Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 2 pieces of butter (one at a time)
Place the pan over very low heat and whisk in the remaining butter one piece at a time to make an emulsified sauce. Remove from the heat and whisk in salt and white pepper to taste.
For a small course spoon some Beurre Blanc into individual serving bowls and place 2 scallops on top, sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve
For a delicious main course, place 3 scallops atop English pea risotto, spoon Beurre Blanc around risotto and sprinkle with fresh thyme.
Be sure to enjoy this delicious meal with our Carneros Highway Chardonnay, it’s a match made in heaven!
Pairs Well With….
NEW RELEASE!
Produced to capture the essence of Carneros, our Nueva Chardonnay enjoys an extensive winemaking effort starting with early harvesting to retain natural acidity throughout the process. Barrel fermentation and sur lie aging creates a lusher profile with only hints of oak that contribute touches of toasty, honey-like notes. Malo-lactic fermentation was induced to achieve a round, creamy mid palate but the wine’s focus is on the indigenous fruit characteristics for which Carneros is known. Incredible balance of fruit to minerality.
