Scallops with Lemon Sage Cream Sauce & Scarborough Fair Rice

I love scallops - particularly big juicy sea scallops. They're meaty and delicious and can be paired with almost anything. This recipe has a lot of flavor and a lot of flexibility. Although it uses a cream-based sauce, only a small amount is added to each serving, keeping the fat and calories down without sacrificing flavor. The herbs in the rice (inspired by Simon & Garfunkel's song, "Scarborough Fair") are flavorful and the lemon zest adds a freshness that really shines in this dish. 

If you're thinking of substituting lemon juice for the zest, be careful when you add it to the cream, as it has a tendency to curdle the cream. I'd stick with the zest, but it's your life and your kitchen - you can do what you want to.

I've paired this with rice, but you could easily substitute that with any kind of pasta. I prefer a long pasta like fettuccine or linguini for this, but a short pasta will do just fine. In fact, if I were pairing this with pasta, I'd do three things differently:

1. Double the sauce recipe so you coat the pasta with the sauce.
2. Add the pasta to the sauce a couple of minutes before it's fully cooked and finish cooking it in the sauce.
3. Cook the scallops in the cream sauce.

Ingredients

SCALLOPS

1 pound of sea scallops
kosher salt & white pepper
2 TBSP Olive Oil

LEMON SAGE CREAM SAUCE

2 TBSP unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped shallots
8 sage leaves, cut chiffonade
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup white wine
1 TBSP Lemon Zest 
Kosher salt & Pepper to taste

SCARBOROUGH FAIR RICE

2 cups cooked long grain white rice
2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley (Plus more for garnish)
1 TBSP chopped fresh sage
1 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme

Directions

To time this well, start your rice cooking and then cook the scallops and cream while that's happening. The rice should be done when you're ready to plate it.

1. Cook rice according to the directions on the package. You have flexibility here - you can choose the type of rice you want and make it as you like it. Cook it in vegetable broth, in plain water with a dash or salt, or add a tablespoon of butter to the water when cooking. Go crazy.
2. After rice is cooked and has rested for 5 minutes, add the herbs and stir it up to distribute herbs evenly throughout the rice.
3. While rice is cooking, rinse the scallops with cold water and pat dry.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly on each side. 
5. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan on medium heat.
6. Place scallops in the pan and cook 1 1/2-2 minutes per side. 
7. Remove scallops when fully cooked. They should be lightly seared on each side, firm and opaque.
8. Keep the scallops on a plate loosely covered with foil to keep warm.
9. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
10. Add shallots and sage. Stir and saute for 2-3 minutes. 
11. Add wine and cook for 1 minute.
12. Add cream and bring to a boil.
13. Reduce heat and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14. Remove from heat and add lemon zest. Stir.
15. Add salt & pepper to taste

Serving

1. Plate the rice and add 3-4 scallops per serving on top. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the cream sauce on top of the scallops.
2. Enjoy!