Truffle Scallops

A plate of seared scallops with a black truffle slice and black truffle sauce.

5 from 1 vote

Tender, seared scallops in black truffle beurre blanc sauce. This is an elegant dinner entrée for a special date night. The richness of the large seared scallops is a perfect partner with the earthy taste of the silky black truffle beurre blanc sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Seared Scallops in Black Truffle Beurre Blanc Sauce

Servings: Servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Black Truffle Beurre Sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium shallot finely minced
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 ounces Black Truffle Butter
Coarse salt to taste
Pinch of white pepper

For the Scallops:

6 large U-10 dry sea scallops *See Notes
Salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Instructions

For the Black Truffle Beurre Blanc:

Brush the olive oil on the bottom of a small skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sauté until soft, do not let them brown.
Pour the wine into the pan and let it reduce to where it is just a film on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream and reduce until thick.
Slide the pan from the heat and begin adding 1 or 2 cubes of butter while whisking the sauce. Slide the skillet on and off the heat at 10 second intervals to control the heat while whisking the butter. If the sauce becomes too hot the butter will separate and will loose the emulsion.
Continue adding butter, whisking and sliding the pan on/off the heat until all the butter has been incorporated and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Add salt and white pepper to taste and transfer to a small pitcher or jar. Set the jar of sauce in a bowl of warm tap water to keep warm while preparing the scallops.

For the Scallops:

For frozen scallops, remove them from the package and place them, in one layer, on a wire rack set over a plate or baking sheet, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator to thaw. When ready to cook, proceed as follows:
For fresh or thawed scallops, place scallops on a large plate that has been lined with a double layer of paper towels. Salt liberally and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Using more paper towels, pat the scallops on all sides as dry as possible. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and set aside while heating the skillet and butter.
Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet, set over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the scallops to the hot skillet spacing them an inch or so apart, (if necessary, work in batches) cook for 1-1/2 minutes to a rich brown. Turn the scallops with tongs and cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with any remaining scallops.
To serve, add a ¼ cup of the black truffle beurre blanc sauce to a dinner plate. Place 3 scallops on the sauce and garnish with fresh herb sprigs and garnish with a thin slice of black truffle if available.

Notes

Adding the cream to the beurre blanc sauce is optional but it will keep the sauce from separating.
Keep the heat on low. Slide the skillet on and off the heat at 10 second intervals to control the heat while whisking the butter. If the sauce becomes too hot the butter will separate and loose the emulsion.
I have had great results with leaving 1/4 of the skillet sitting on the edge of the heat while whisking the butter. There is just enough heat to melt the butter at a steady rate.
If your sauce begins to separate, stop adding butter and add a teaspoon or two of wine or other liquid while whisking vigorously. Once it comes together again, finish whisking in the butter a cube or two at a time.
In scallop world, scallops that are sized U-10 means that fewer than 10 scallops add up to 1 pound. Each scallop will weigh about 2 ounces each. If you are using smaller size scallops, adjust the cooking time to 1 minute per side.

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