Seared scallops have to be one of the best things in life. Deeply browned on one side and bathed in butter, it's one thing I don't think I'll ever get tired of. And one thing I love to do with seared scallops is pair them with something a little more affordable, because scallops are pricey. These seared scallops and pea purée are perfect for spring and combine something pricey with something a little more affordable - frozen peas. You're welcome to use frozen peas as I do, or fresh peas if you prefer. I just love the ease of using a bag of frozen peas and not even having to defrost them.

The pea purée portion is inspired and loosely adapted from Recipe Tin Eats.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make these scallops and pea purée.

• prosciutto slices
• unsalted butter
• shallot
• garlic cloves
• frozen peas
• vegetable or chicken stock
• lemon zest
• fresh mint
• kosher salt & black pepper
• scallops
• flaky salt (optional)

How to Make Scallops and Pea Purée

Making a pea purée at home is simple and easy to do. And it only takes about 10 to 15 minutes to make.

The first thing to do for this scallops with pea purée is to make the crispy prosciutto first.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Layer the prosciutto slices on the baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for ten to 12 minutes, until the prosciutto is crispy.

Remove the prosciutto and set aside to cool slightly. Chop into small bite sized pieces and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt 4 tbsps of the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the shallot and cook for one to two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more, just until fragrant.

Pour in the frozen peas and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Simmer for two minutes.

Remove the lid and transfer the peas to a food processor along with the lemon zest and mint. Process on high until smooth, about one to two minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

Season the pea purée with salt and pepper. If you want a very smooth purée, you can press the pea mixture through a sieve. Although it's not necessary to do this, it does make for restaurant quality pea purée.

How to Make Seared Scallops at Home

So how do you cook scallops at home? It’s easy, you’ll just need to follow a few simple steps below. This will ensure perfectly cooked scallops every time.

• Step One: Ensure that your scallops are dried very well. Line a plate with paper towels and blot them dry.
• Step Two: Heat your pan over medium heat (I like using a cast iron pan or a stainless steel skillet, I use Made-In). Once the pan is very hot, add a good splash of oil (avocado or olive oil).
• Step Three: Season your scallops with salt and pepper right before searing them.
• Step Four: Add the scallops to the pan and put a timer on for two minutes. At this point, the scallops should easily lift from the pan. Check them to see if they are browned enough, they may need an additional 30 seconds to one minute more. Once you flip them, cook for an additional one minute longer (depending on the size and thickness).
• Step Five: optional, but during the last 30 seconds of cooking, add some butter or ghee to the pan. Using a spoon, spoon the butter over the scallops. Remove from the heat and set aside on a plate. Enjoy!

Time to Plate

Once you have the pea purée made and the scallops have just finished cooking, it's time to plate.

Place a dollop of the purée on a plate and top with the scallops.

Sprinkle the prosciutto over top and garnish with a few extra small mint leaves. Season with flaky salt and drizzle with any leftover butter from cooking the scallops. Enjoy!

Tips

• For a smoother pea purée: you can blend the purée in a high speed blender instead of a food processor, it will be more difficult to clean afterwards. Or you can press the pea mixture through a fine mesh sieve to get a super smooth, restaurant quality purée at home.
• Don't overcook the scallops: be sure to follow the tips above to get perfectly seared scallops. Once you get that beautiful deep crust on one side, the other side should be cooked for only about one minute longer and then baste with the butter.
• Make ahead: you can make the pea purée ahead to save time and then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop on low before serving. The crispy prosciutto can also be prepped in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.

Substitutions

• Shallot: use a yellow onion.
• Prosciutto: you can omit if needed, or use lardons, pancetta or bacon.
• Frozen peas: use fresh peas instead.

Ingredients & Products I Recommend:

Kosher salt:

I exclusively use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for all of my recipes. I prefer the texture, taste and consistency of this brand and highly recommend it for everyday cooking.

Flaky salt:

I always, always have Maldon flaky salt on hand and add it to almost all of my dishes as a finishing salt. I can't recommend this enough.

Avocado Oil:

I prefer using avocado oil for high heat cooking. I love using Chosen Foods avocado oil and their avocado oil spray.

Stainless Steel Skillet:

I love my Made In stainless steel skillets so much. I have the 8", 10" and 12" stainless steel pans and I use them all the time in my kitchen. Their products are great quality and so long as you take care of them and follow their care instructions, they'll last forever.

More Appetizer Recipes

Looking for more appetizers, check these ones out!

• Air Fryer Calamari
• Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Mortadella
• Whipped Feta with Roasted Tomatoes
• Salmon Sushi Cups
• Whipped Ricotta Dip with Brown Butter & Sage
• Prosciutto Wrapped Persimmons
• Air Fryer Brie Bites with Fig Jam
• Air Fryer Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Thai Basil Dip
• Healthy French Onion Dip
• Bang Bang Shrimp (air fryer)
• Hamachi Crudo
• Whipped Brie with Strawberries

Ready to make this? Let's get to it!

If you make these scallops and pea purée please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!

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