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When scallops go on sale and it's basil and corn season, there's nothing left to do than make Scallops with Pesto & Creamed Corn. As cliché as it is to say, This dish is "summer on a plate"!
Jump to Recipe Print RecipeStart with the Fresh Genovese Basil Pesto ... especially if you are making your own. Just click on that link to find my recipe. You can make it a day or so ahead so that it's quicker to get dinner on the table. You can also buy your favorite pre-made brand, of course.
Tips for buying and preparing scallops
I've shared this information on the post Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Tarragon Cream Sauce, which, incidentally, is a great way to enjoy scallops in the Autumn season. To save you the time going to that post to read, I'll just copy and paste it here for you.
- When buying scallops, look for "dry" ones. Scallops that are dry have not been packed in a preserving liquid. Nobody needs that!
- Buy wild ones or ones from a day boat if you're fortunate enough to live near a place where that kind of wonderfulness happens.
- Just because you buy them "dry" doesn't mean they don't have moisture. Always lay them on paper towels and pat them as dry as possible. Any moisture left on them will cause the oil in the skillet to splatter unnecessarily and keep them from searing as well as they should.
- Examine each scallop to be sure that all of the extra side muscle has been removed. It's easy to peel it away. You can see in the photo below that some remains on the one I'm holding. It is the part of the muscle that the scallop used to move through the water so it is tough, therefore, undesirable.
Tips for selecting corn and cutting it off the cob
When corn is in season and is grown organically, it is one of the most delicious things you can serve. It's so sweet and tender. Look for ears of corn that have fresh green husks, then pull the top silks back and have a peek at the rows of kernels. They should be nice and tight.
To cut the kernels off for Creamed Corn, cut the kernels off with thin cuts so that more of the corn milk is released. When you've cut down next to the cob, use your knife to scrape the cob to be sure to get all the milk.
How to make Creamed Corn
Creamed Corn is one of the easiest things to make! It's just butter, corn, salt, and a bit of cream. Just a bit.
You melt the butter in a cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Add the corn to the skillet and let it cook in the butter till it gets tender and starts to brown slightly. At this point, I usually smash the kernels a bit to extract more juice from them. Sometimes, this is enough and I don't need to add any cream. But ... cream, man!
So I usually add a wee bit of cream. Be sure to turn the stove down and temper the cream before adding it so that it doesn't break. Keep the temperature low and add all of the cream. Let it cook on a low heat till thickened.
Frizzled Shallots: a crispy, tasty topping
I love to thinly slice shallots and fry them in a little oil to get them crunchy and brown. They are delicious on top of the creamed corn!
How to serve Scallops with Pesto & Creamed Corn
For a dinner portion, I like to serve 4-5 scallops per plate. Given that pea shoots are also in season when basil and corn are, I find it not only beautiful, but also quite tasty to include them on the plate. They look like garnish, but the best garnishes are also edible! Spoon the pesto on top of each scallop and put the frizzled shallots on top of the creamed corn.
Absolutely beautiful and delicious.
Other recipes you might like:
Recipe
Scallops with Pesto & Creamed Corn
Ingredients
FOR THE BASIL PESTO
- Follow the recipe on my site for Fresh Genovese Basil Pesto or purchase your favorite brand in store. See notes for the link
FOR THE CREAMED CORN
- 2 ears fresh corn on the cob
- ¼ cup butter
- salt to season
- ¼ cup cream
- 1 small shallot
FOR THE SCALLOPS
- 1 pound dry scallops
- salt and pepper
- oil
- Pea shoots
Instructions
FOR THE CREAMED CORN
- Shuck the corn and cut the kernels from the cob. Use thin cuts so that you can get as much juice from the kernels as possible.
- Put the butter in a skillet and once it has melted and is sizzling, add the corn kernels and liquid. Salt generously and let cook until tender. Use the back of your spoon to crush the kernels a bit. Turn the heat down, then slowly, add warmed cream to the skillet. Cook on low until the cream has thickened a bit.
- Cut the shallot into thin slices and separate the rings. Fry them in a small skillet with a bit of oil until they are brown and crispy. Set aside.
FOR THE SCALLOPS
- Remove the muscle from the side of any scallop that still has it. Pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a {cast iron} skillet over high heat. Add oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and put the scallops in. Sear them without turning for 2-3 minutes. Turn them to sear on the other side.
- Serve them on a bed of pea shoots with the pesto spooned on top and the creamed corn topped with the crispy shallot on the side.
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