Brown Butter Scallops with Squash & Farro Salad

Seared bay scallops are paired with corn, grilled zucchini and summer squash over farro and arugula for this light summer salad. The dressing is made from the brown butter left in the pan from searing the scallops and is drizzled over the salad. I love grilling zucchini and summer squash so that it has a slight char to it. It pairs perfectly with the crunch of the corn and nutty grains of farro.

Brown Butter Scallops with Squash & Farro Salad

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Brown butter 

Brown butter or beurre noisette is used commonly as a sauce over a pasta dish like butternut squash ravioli or in French pastries. In this recipe I use it to add a nutty flavor and fatty element to contrast the scallops. As you cook the brown butter it will crackle and foam as it cooks and as it stops crackling, keep an eye on it so that it does not burn. It will turn from a yellow to a pale brown and then to a deep golden brown and smell nutty. The bits that remain from searing the scallops help flavor the brown butter and I finish it with a squeeze of lemon and chives.

Corn

I love making the most of sweet summer corn picked up from local farm stands. When buying ears corn, look for a bright green husk that is tight around the corn. Feel the kernels through the husk, they should be plump. (I like to peel back a section of the husk to double check the kernels.) Look at the tassel (the strings at the top), it should be yellow or light brown – it should have a sweet smell.

Farro

Farro is an ancient grain. It looks similar to cooked grains of brown rice and has a nutty, complex taste. Italians use it in place of rice to create risottos and it tastes great added to salads. Though it’s referred to as a one, it’s actually different three grains – farro medio is what is typically found in the US. While I just use farro in this recipe try substituting half quinoa like in this recipe here.

How to Make Brown Butter Scallops with Squash and Summer Farro Salad

Step 1: Cook farro.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. Add the farro, and cook on medium-low heat until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Strain any remaining water then fluff the grains with a fork and set aside.

Step 2: Grill vegetables.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat until almost smoking. Add the slices of zucchini and summer squash, cooking until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then flip the slices and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Step 3: Season scallops. 

Remove the small side muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper then add the scallops to the pan.

Step 4: Sear scallops. 

Sear until the bottoms of the scallops are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Step 5: Make the brown butter. 

Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside then add the remaining butter to the pan, cooking until the butter smells nutty and pale brown, about 3 minutes.

Step 6: Finish the sauce. 

Add the lemon and chives to the pan, swirling to combine. Set the sauce aside until ready to serve.

Step 7: Assemble and serve. 

Divide arugula among serving bowls and top with farro, corn, zucchini and squash. Top each with scallops and drizzle the pan sauce over the top. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve immediately.

Tips for Cooking with Scallops

I always buy dry-packed scallops. Dry-packed scallops are fresher and get a better sear on them since they don’t have any additives. They also have a delicate, sweet and natural taste. Always the anomaly, I happen to have an allergy, not to shellfish, but to the chemical solution that is injected into some scallops with the purpose of keeping them fresh and moist longer.

• Ask for dry scallops at the seafood counter. “Dry-packed” means that they are without added preservatives. “Wet” scallops are those that have been soaked in a bath of phosphates to add water weight as well as to keep the scallops fresh longer.
• When they cook, the scallops absorb water leaving the wet scallops smaller and tougher. Since “dry-packed” scallops have less liquid to release during the cooking process, they end up with a beautiful caramelized sear.
• If you’ve ever seen “diver scallops” advertised, they are scallops that are more labor intensive to retrieve. Rather than being harvested through dredging – which can be harmful to the environment – diver scallops are gathered by actual divers. Because they require more work they are more expensive.
• Scallops require little cleaning before cooking. Just rinse and be sure to remove the side muscle, the rectangular tag of muscle on the side of the scallop that easily peels off. The muscle can technically be eaten but it is a lot tougher than the rest of the meat.
• Use scallops within a day or two of buying them.

Brown Butter Scallops with Squash & Farro Salad

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Serves 2

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• ½ cup farro
• 2 large zucchini squash, thinly sliced on the bias
• 2 large summer squash, thinly sliced on the bias
• Kosher salt, as needed
• Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 1 pound dry-packed large bay scallops
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives, divided
• 3 cups (packed) arugula
• 1 cup raw corn kernels

Instructions:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. Add the farro, and cook on medium-low heat until the farro is tender, about 20 minutes. Strain any remaining water then fluff the grains with a fork and set aside.
• Heat a grill pan over medium heat until almost smoking. Add the slices of zucchini and summer squash, cooking until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then flip the slices and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove and set aside
• Remove the small side muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Season the scallops on both sides with salt and pepper then add the scallops to the pan.
• Sear until the bottoms of the scallops are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside then add the remaining butter to the pan, cooking until the butter smells nutty and pale brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add the lemon and chives to the pan, swirling to combine. Set the sauce aside until ready to serve.
• Divide arugula among serving bowls and top with farro, corn, zucchini and squash. Top each with scallops and drizzle the pan sauce over the top. Garnish with the remaining chives and serve immediately.

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