Scallops Provencal

Juicy seared scallops in a light sauce made with the combination of shallots,garlic,fresh parsley,black pepper and last but not least white wine is so fancy yet hearty,easy and quick to prepare for week week night dinner or any special occasion.

Provencal cuisine from the Provence region of France has many flavorsome dishes made with fresh vegetables, seafood, meat, aromatic herbs, garlic,olive oil and white wine. This scallops dish is one of the easiest and most delicious non-veg food in our family. I often make this gourmet Scallops Provencal accompanied by warm haricot vert and potato salad that tastes exactly restaurant quality. 

Sea scallops are great for this recipe because of their size. They smell sweet. Scallops are high in moisture content; so it's important to press gently to blot extra moisture from the scallops. Do not over crowd the pan while searing to get good color. Scallops are very delicate. They take only 1 1/2 minutes - 2 minutes to get cooked each side or else you are going to get chewy scallops. Follow these few simple rules to get perfectly seared succulent scallops with white wine and herb sauce.

Ingredients~
1 lb. sea scallops
2 tbsp thinly chopped shallots
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp tapioca starch
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
A few lemon slices

Method~
Rinse scallops with cold water, remove little piece of muscle and pat dry. Season scallops with little salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan over medium high. Lightly dredge both sides of scallops with tapioca flour. shake off excess flour. Sear scallops in two batches for 1 1/2 -2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan. Add in butter in the same pan and saute shallots and garlic until soft. Stir in white wine. Cook for 3-4 minutes then add warm water, salt ,pepper and lemon slices. Put back scallops in the pan and cook another 2 minutes over medium high heat. The scallops are done. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over top. Enjoy with the white wine!

Happy Cooking!