Scallops Saute

Sea scallops simmered in white wine and lemon juice with dill, then tossed with crisp snow peas and sliced celery. Light, bright, and on the table in 25 minutes. This is weeknight cooking that feels like a restaurant.

The vegetables cook first and come out of the pan while the scallops go in. This keeps the snow peas and celery crisp-tender instead of overcooking them into mush while the scallops simmer. They go back in at the very end, just long enough to heat through.

Five to six minutes of covered simmering is all the scallops need. They’re done when they’re opaque all the way through and firm but still slightly springy when pressed. Overcooked scallops turn rubbery and dense.

Chef Tips

• Rinse and pat the scallops dry before cooking. Surface moisture prevents browning and causes the wine to splatter.
• Use a dry white wine like Chablis or Sauvignon Blanc. Cooking wine has too much added salt.
• Slice the celery on the diagonal for a more elegant look and slightly more surface area to pick up the wine sauce.
• Serve with a slotted spoon so the scallops and vegetables don’t drown in liquid on the plate.

Variations

• Serve over angel hair pasta and let the wine-lemon sauce become the pasta dressing.
• Swap snow peas for asparagus tips cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Add a tablespoon of capers to the wine sauce for a briny pop.