Grill-Seared Scallops With Pistachio-Tarragon Butter

You have to pay attention. Large sea scallops are usually about 2 inches. Once they are darkened on both sides and look almost opaque in the midsections, don’t hesitate...pull them off the grill. One of the two best recipes from 25 Essentials – Techniques for Grilling Fish by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig. The other one: Grilled Tilapia With Spicy Lemon Pepper Rub. Note: Can use a cast iron skillets on the grill. Good to know.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Pistachio-Tarragon Brown Butter

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 2  tablespoons  chopped pistachios
• 1  tablespoon  finely chopped fresh tarragon
•  kosher salt or   sea  salt & freshly ground black pepper

• The Rest

• 2  lbs  large scallops

Directions

1. Prepare a hot fire in a grill. Oil 2 cast-iron skillets or a cast-iron grill griddle and preheat on the grill.
2. To make the brown butter, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep cooking until the butter starts to bubble and turn a medium brown and has a nutty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. (Do not let the butter get too dark. That would be burned.). Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of the melted pistachio butter into a ramekin to use on the raw scallops while grilling. Reserve the rest of the butter mixture as a serving sauce; keep warm.
3. Brush the sea scallops with the melted butter mixture from the ramekin and place on the prepared grill rack or griddle. Grill for about 3 minutes before turning. If the scallops stick, cook them a little longer, until they turn easily. After turning, grill long enough to heat through, 1 to 2 more minutes. Watch carefully because little too long over the flames and they become tough and rubbery. If the scallops aren’t done enough, you can always put them back on the grill for 30 seconds or so. You can't undo overcooked scallops.
4. Drizzle the seared scallops with the reserved warm pistachio-tarragon brown butter and serve.