Sun Dried Tomato Seared Scallops Recipes

FATHER-IN-LAW'S SCALLOPS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BACON

Steps:

• Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Chop the bacon, and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for the pasta. While water is coming to a boil, heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat, and pan-fry the scallops until browned and opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Remove scallops to a plate.
• Stir the angel hair pasta into the boiling water, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink, and divide the hot pasta between 4 plates.
• Pour white wine and sun-dried tomatoes into the skillet, and scrape up and dissolve any browned flavor bits left in the pan. Stir in the cream, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the butter and garlic. Whisk the butter into the sauce, return the scallops to the pan, and cover with sauce.
• Spoon scallops and sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with chopped bacon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH TOMATO BEURRE BLANC

Steps:

• Make beurre blanc:
• Soak tomatoes in warm water until softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and pat dry, then mince. Stir together tomatoes, butter, and salt, then form into an 8-inch log on a sheet of plastic wrap and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour. Cut tomato butter into 12 equal pieces.
• Cook shallot in 1 piece of tomato butter (keep remaining butter chilled) in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and whisk in remaining cold tomato butter 1 piece at a time, adding each piece before previous one has completely melted and lifting pan from heat occasionally to cool mixture (sauce should not get hot enough to separate). Whisk in water and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer beurre blanc to a bowl and keep warm, covered, in a larger bowl of warm water.
• Sauté scallops:
• Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear 6 to 8 scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter as cooked and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Sear remaining scallops in same manner, wiping out skillet and adding about 1 teaspoon oil between batches.
• Spoon 3 tablespoons beurre blanc onto each of 6 plates, then top with scallops.

SCALLOPS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium high. Add garlic and lemon peel and saute for 30 seconds. Add scallops and saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove scallops, add tomato, capers, lemon juice and thyme. Thicken for about 2 minutes. Add butter and whisk until melted. Add salt. Return scallops until heated. This is great served over rice.

SCALLOPS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sun-dried tomatoes and hot water. Let stand for 5 minutes; drain and set aside. , Place broccoli and broth in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 2-4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender; set aside. , In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook garlic in oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add scallops; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, basil, salt, and reserved tomatoes and broccoli mixture; cook 2-3 minutes longer or until scallops are firm and opaque. , Drain the pasta; stir into scallop mixture and heat through. Sprinkle with cheese.

CREAMY MOZZARELLA SCALLOP PASTA

Steps:

• If using frozen scallops, make sure the scallops are thawed completely.
• Blot each scallop with paper towels to remove extra water. Set them aside on a plate while you prepare the pasta and the sauce. You will cook scallops last to make sure they are not over-cooked.
• Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve some cooked pasta water. Drain the pasta.
• Note: if using sun-dried tomatoes in oil (in a jar), make sure to drain sun-dried tomatoes from oil, before using them.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil (you can use the reserved olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar, or use regular olive oil) in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil and sliced into smaller chunks, if needed) and minced garlic, and saute on medium heat, stirring, for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant. The skillet should be hot.
• Add half and half to the hot skillet with sun-dried tomatoes and bring to boil. Add shredded cheese to the skillet, and stir in while boiling. Immediately reduce to simmer and cook, constantly stirring, until all the cheese melts and the creamy sauce forms. If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of half and half or reserved cooked pasta water. Add basil, crushed red pepper flakes, paprika. Stir.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt gradually, stirring on low heat and tasting (you might need slightly less than 1/4 teaspoon).
• Add cooked pasta to the sauce, and reheat gently on medium heat. Taste, and add more salt, if needed. Add a small amount of half and half or reserved cooked pasta water, if the sauce is too thick. Let everything simmer on low heat for a couple of minutes for flavors to combine.
• Season with salt by sprinkling each scallop with a dash of salt.
• Use a large, non-stick skillet (I used stainless steel skillet which works well for me as non-stick). Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in this non-stick skillet on high heat until hot but not smoking. Oil should not be smoking, just rolling easily around the skillet.
• Add scallops without overcrowding the pan. Sear on one side for about 3-4 minutes until the bottom is nice golden color. Don't move the scallops around the pan in the beginning.
• Turn the scallops to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the scallops to the plate immediately. Don't let the scallops sit in the hot skillet, off heat, because they will start to steam, lose their crust and harden up.
• Add cooked scallops to the pasta and the cream sauce and reheat gently. Serve.
• Note: Make sure to salt the dish just enough to bring out of the flavors of basil and sun-dried tomatoes.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SEARED SCALLOPS

Steps:

• If the sun-dried tomatoes are moist, dry in a 200 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until dry.
• Grind the sun-dried tomatoes in a blender until they became a smooth powder; remove from the blender and set aside.
• Add the basil (reserve 2 sprigs for garnish), orange juice, and lemon juice to the blender. Blend on medium speed while drizzling 1/4 cup of the olive oil into the mixture.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic. Saute the garlic for 15 seconds (do not burn), then add the zucchini. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the zucchini softens. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato, then take off the heat.
• Heat another nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper and all but 1 teaspoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato powder. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the scallops slowly to prevent spattering.
• Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip to the other side. Let cook for another 2 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• To serve, mound the zucchini mixture in the middle of two dinner plates. Place 5 scallops around each mound. Drizzle the vinaigrette around the dish. Garnish with basil sprig and a sprinkling of tomato powder.

SEARED SUN-DRIED TOMATO-PESTO SEA SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Place the sundried tomatoes and pesto sauce in food prossesor, and blend together.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of sea scallops to taste. Put clarrified butter in pan over med-hi heat, and sear scallops in butter for 3 minutes on each side.
• Heat the sundried tomato pesto sauce over med heat until hot.
• Serve scollops on plate with 1 teaspoon of hot sundried pesto sauce on top of each scallop.

SCALLOPS WITH CAPERS AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and lemon peel and sauté 30 seconds. Add scallops and sauté until almost cooked through, turning once, about 3 minutes. Transfer scallops to bowl using slotted spoon. Add sun-dried tomatoes, capers, lemon juice and thyme to same skillet. Boil until liquid thickens, adding any accumulated juices from scallops to skillet, about 2 minutes. Add butter and whisk just until melted. Season to taste with salt. Return scallops to skillet and stir just until heated through. Transfer scallops and sauce to plates and serve.