Seared Scallops & Yuzu Garlic Butter
This seared scallops recipe is a delicate umami delight. The subtle sweet flavour of the sea from tender scallops paired with Japanese umami flavours is a match made in seafood heaven.
Seared Scallops & Yuzu Garlic Butter
Seared Scallops & Yuzu Garlic Butter
Seared Scallops & Yuzu Garlic Butter
What makes me try a new recipe is usually the interesting ingredients and flavour combinations, but what keeps me making it again and again is that it’s easy and freaking delicious; and this dish wins on all fronts. Try it, love it, make it again.
Pan seared scallops are so easy to make and take no time at all. If making this dish as an appetizer for entertaining, simply make the wakame mayo ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use.
A note on scallops… You’re looking for sea scallops in this recipe. I prefer to buy mine fresh from a fishmonger personally, but you can use frozen, just ensure they’re of good quality. A good qual scallop will be creamy colour, firm to touch and have a subtle smell of the sea, but not fishy.
Asian grocery stores, specialty supermarkets, and some health stores.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Rehydrate the wakame flakes by adding them to a bowl with ½ cup boiling water, let sit for 2-3 minutes, then drain through a sieve.
Then combine the kewpie mayonnaise with the wakame in a bowl, then on your serving plate (or shells in my case) add the mayonnaise to a plate, in smearing strokes, or little ½ tsp dollops in each shell.
Melt butter in a large pan on high heat. Add in garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant and golden brown. Add in dashi and yuzu juice into the butter, swirl for 30 seconds to emulsify together then pour out into a dish or jug.
Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp grapeseed oil on high heat, then season the scallops with a touch of salt and pepper. Add the scallops in a clockwise formation, cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown (don’t stir them around, just let them sit and cook).
Turn scallops over starting with the one you added in first and move in a clockwise direction, Reduce heat to low and 1 minute more.
Transfer scallops to your serving plate (or shells), then pour over garlic butter sauce, then drizzle over a couple of drops of sesame oil on each scallop. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chives.
Rehydrate the wakame flakes by adding them to a bowl with ½ cup boiling water, let sit for 2-3 minutes, then drain through a sieve.
Then combine the kewpie mayonnaise with the wakame in a bowl, then on your serving plate (or shells in my case) add the mayonnaise to a plate, in smearing strokes, or little ½ tsp dollops in each shell.
Melt butter in a large pan on high heat. Add in garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant and golden brown. Add in dashi and yuzu juice into the butter, swirl for 30 seconds to emulsify together then pour out into a dish or jug.
Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp grapeseed oil on high heat, then season the scallops with a touch of salt and pepper. Add the scallops in a clockwise formation, cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown (don’t stir them around, just let them sit and cook).
Turn scallops over starting with the one you added in first and move in a clockwise direction, Reduce heat to low and 1 minute more.
Transfer scallops to your serving plate (or shells), then pour over garlic butter sauce, then drizzle over a couple of drops of sesame oil on each scallop. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chives.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Seared Scallops & Yuzu Garlic Butter
- 12 sea scallops (skirt and roe removed - aka just the round bit)
- 1 tbsp dried wakame flakes
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Grapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 50g butter
- 1 tbsp white dashi concentrate
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup chives to garnish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Rehydrate the wakame flakes by adding them to a bowl with ½ cup boiling water, let sit for 2-3 minutes, then drain through a sieve
- Then combine the mayonnaise with the wakame in a bowl, then on your serving plate (or scallop shells) add the mayonnaise to a plate, in smearing strokes, or little ½ tsp dollops in each shell
- Melt butter in a large pan on high heat. Add in garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant and golden brown. Add in dashi and yuzu juice into the butter, swirl for 30 seconds to emulsify together then pour out into a dish or jug
- Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp grapeseed oil on high heat, then season the scallops with a touch of salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the scallops in a clockwise formation, cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown (don’t stir them around, just let them sit and cook)
- Turn scallops over starting with the one you added in first and move in a clockwise direction, Reduce heat to low and 1 minute more
- Transfer scallops to your serving plate (or shells), then pour over garlic butter sauce, then drizzle over a couple of drops of sesame oil on each scallop. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chives.