Seafood

Browned Butter Scallops with Pecan Dukkah & Pickled Raisins

by:
October 22, 2024
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0 Ratings
Browned Butter Scallops with Pecan Dukkah & Pickled Raisins
Photo by MeatEater
  • Prep time 1 hour
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

As summer slips into fall, the roadside stands transition away from peaches and into pecans, a staple ingredient in southern cuisine. Every October, I head to our family ranch to pick and crack pecans.Some of the trees on the property are very old native trees; others were planted many years ago by Travis’s grandparents, who unfortunately passed away before I got the chance to meet and thank them. But every time I cook with those pecans, I think about what I hope to pass on one day, and how important it is to nurture and protect our landscape for future generations.

Like oysters, farmed scallops are not only very sustainable, they’re available throughout most of the year, making this an evergreen recipe. In the fall and winter months, I like to pair them with oven-roasted winter squash, sweet potatoes, or carrots; in the spring, I opt for asparagus. —Danielle Prewett

Test Kitchen Notes

The following is a recipe from Danielle Prewett's new book MeatEater's Wild and Whole: Seasonal Recipes for the Conscious Cook (Penguin Random House October 2024) and is printed with permission from the publisher. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the pecan dukkah
  • 3/4 cup pecan halves
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 2 tablespoons benne (sesame) seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • For the browned butter scallops
  • 1 1/2 pounds large dry scallops (4 or 5 persons)
  • coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup champagne vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • Neutral oil, such as avocado or grapeseed
  • 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, cubed
  • Pecan Dukkah (recipe follows)
  • Torn baby cilantro leaves, for garnish
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. For the pecan dukkah
  2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the pecans evenly over a large baking sheet and toast in the oven for 12 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  3. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, cumin, and coriander seeds and toast, shaking the pan for even distribution and so that nothing burns, until the seeds are fragrant and starting to pop, about 1 minute. Transfer the toasted seeds to a mortar and pound them with the pestle to crush the spices to a coarse consistency. Transfer to a small bowl
  4. In the same skillet, toast the benne seeds over medium-high heat, shaking the pan or stirring frequently, for about 1 minute, until they turn light golden in color. Transfer them to the bowl with the crushed spices.
  5. Coarsely chop the pecans by hand or pulse in a food processor until the nuts have a coarse, granular consistency. Add them to the bowl with the spices and benne seeds. Add the salt, sugar, and cayenne and stir until well blended. Store the dukkah in an airtight, container at room temperature for up to a few months
  1. For the browned butter scallops
  2. At least an hour before you’re ready to cook the scallops, season them generously with salt on both sides. Place the scallops on a paper towel–lined baking sheet and cover with another layer of paper towels to soak up excess moisture. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator.
  3. Place the raisins in a small bowl. Pour the vinegar into a small pot and season with a couple pinches of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the honey and stir until it has dissolved. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the raisins and set aside to soak for at least 1 hour. (The raisins can be pickled several days in advance and stored in the pickling liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
  4. Remove the scallops from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to cooking and pat them very dry with a fresh paper towel, if needed. Lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet with a thin layer of oil and set over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, use tongs to place each scallop in the pan, leaving room between them (work in batches, if needed). Cook until the bottoms develop a golden-brown crust, about 3 minutes. You’ll notice the opacity and texture changing on the sides of the scallops; they should be three-quarters of the way done. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the second side, then transfer the scallops to a plate and set aside.
  5. Reduce the heat to low and let the pan cool for a couple of minutes, especially if it’s smoking. Meanwhile, drain the raisins, reserving the soaking liquid, and set both aside
  6. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl it around in the pan to melt and foam. When the milk solids have separated from the butterfat and begun to toast, add the shallots. They will softly fry in the hot butter. Cook, stirring occasionally to separate the shallot rings, for a minute or two, until the butter turns golden in color. If at any point the butter burns, you’ll need to start over, so stay attentive and lower the heat if needed. Remove from the heat and stir in the raisins
  7. Serve the scallops with a spoonful of the browned butter, making sure to grab some of the raisins and shallots. Spoon a few drops of the reserved raisin pickling liquid across the top for a hit of acidity, if you like, then sprinkle the top of each scallop with some of the pecan dukkah. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro, and serve
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