Scallops with Jammy Tomato Caper Sauce

Tantalize your taste buds with sweet, briny, spicy, and bright flavors that seared Scallops with Jammy Tomato Caper Sauce brings to the table. The delicate flavor of seared scallops is complimented by the fresh burst tomato sauce. Break out the crusty bread and pop open the wine; this is a dish to celebrate with.

You don’t need a lot of ingredients or time to pull together an elegant and memorable dish. Whether it’s Seared Scallops with Saffron Cream Sauce or these tender nuggets of the sea nestled in a bed of slumped tomatoes, it’s all about simple, fresh ingredients and allowing them to shine. With beautiful sea scallops taking center stage of this dish you only need a handful of simple ingredients to create this dish.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Celebrate fresh, simple ingredients. Aside from the scallops, you only need a handful of easily accessible ingredients like grape tomatoes, garlic, shallots, and capers. This seared scallop recipe is easy to shop for.
• There’s no need to spend hours in the kitchen. The most labor-intensive part of seared scallops with jammy tomato sauce is chopping your vegetables. The scallops cook in less than ten minutes and the sauce only takes about 20. This meal really does come together in less than 30 minutes making it ideal for any night of the week.
• Seared scallops with tomatoes and capers is incredibly versatile. Seared scallops with burst tomato sauce can be used as a main course or as an elegant appetizer. Serve this up with pasta or charred bread. You can even swap the scallops for shrimp if you like.

Ingredient Tips

• Make sure that you’re purchasing dry pack scallops and not wet pack. Wet pack scallops are soaked in a water solution that contains chemicals. Not only will they have a less pure scallop flavor, but they are also incredibly hard to sear. The New Bedford dayboat U10 scallops use in this recipe are from LobsterAnywhere.
• Either grape or cherry tomatoes will work for this recipe. You can even use a combination. Thye will give you a sweet flavor and are easy to find year round.
• How you cut your garlic is important for this recipe. If you’ve ever seen the movie Goodfella’s you might remember Paulie slicing his garlic with a razor. You want paper thin slices. They will slightly melt into the sauce and give milder flavor that isn’t as pungent as minced garlic. This keeps them from overpowering the sweetness of the scallops and tomatoes.
• I like using fine sea salt to season my scallops. It gives a clean flavor that enhances the natural sweetness of the scallops.

How to Make Scallops with Jammy Tomato Caper Sauce

• Prepare your mise en place. Halve the tomatoes, finely dice the shallot, and thinly slice the garlic.
• Prep your scallops. Remove the side muscle from the scallops if they have one. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
• Sauté the aromatics. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once shimmering add the shallots and let them cook for 3-5 minutes until they’re translucent. You are not looking to brown them. Add the garlic and allow it to cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
• Let the tomatoes slump. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir them so they’re evenly combined with the shallots and garlic and then let them be. Let them cook for 5-8 minutes until they release their juices and begin to slump.

• Pop open the wine and give those tomatoes a drink. Add the wine and give the tomatoes a stir. Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook until most of the wine has reduced, about 5-8 minutes.
• Season and sear the scallops. Heat a second cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil or avocado oil. Lightly season one side of the scallops with fine sea salt. When the oil is almost smoking place the scallops into the skillet making sure not to crowd them. You can always sear them in batches. Allow the first side to cook for about 2 minutes undisturbed. You will begin to see white creep up the sides. Season the second side and give them a flip. If they seem like they’re sticking give them another 30 seconds. Allow the second side to sear for another minute to 90 sec. They’re internal temperature should be between 115-120 degrees. Remove them from the pan.

• Finish of the sauce. Stir in the capers and fresh basil. Taste for seasoning. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cold butter if adding.
• Add the scallops to the sauce. Nestled the seared scallops into the burst tomato sauce. Garnish with fresh lemon zest and additional basil.

Variations

• Use a combination of grape and cherry tomatoes. You can also use yellow or heirloom varieties for this.
• Toss in a 1/3 cup of olives into the mixture. Stick with a buttery olive like Castelvetrano olives that won’t overpower the flavor of the scallops.
• Like things spicy? Add additional crushed red pepper flakes.
• This same recipe can be made with shrimp. You can either cook the shrimp directly in the sauce or sauté the separately and then add them to the sauce.
• If cheese is your jam crumble a little feta into the finished dish.
• Not a fan of capers? No problem. Simply leave the out. You made need to add a pinch extra of salt for the sauce.

Tips From the Beach

• Don’t season your scallops ahead of time. Salt draws out moisture and you won’t get a good sear.
• It’s better to have a tender scallop cooked to temperature than it is a beautifully seared scallop that tough and overcooked. Don’t stress if your scallops aren’t overly bronzed. They will still be incredibly delicious and gorgeous with the vibrant sauce.
• When it comes to zesting your lemon, you only want the yellow skin, not the white pith. The white pith will add a bitter note.
• Scallops require very little prep. Make sure you thoroughly pat them dry just before searing them and also remove the side muscle. This muscle known as the abductor muscle, cooks up tough and chewy but comes off easily.
• You might notice you have some scallops that are a peach or pink color. Consider this your lucky day! This means you have female scallops and they’re known to be slightly sweeter in flavor.
• Make sure you pan and oil are hot before adding your scallops. You want the oil almost smoking.
• A cast iron skillet will not only give you the best sear on your scallops, but it will also evenly conduct the heat and hold up to the high heat of cooking.
• You can make this same dish in one skillet if desired. However, I recommend starting with the sauce first. Not only does it take the longest to cook, but that way your scallops will still be warm.

Looking for more easy and elegant seafood dishes? Make sure to check out Pan Seared Fish with White Wine Tomato Sauce.

Scallops with Jammy Tomato Caper Sauce

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Tantalize your taste buds with sweet, briny, spicy, and bright flavors that seared Scallops with Jammy Tomato Caper Sauce brings to the table.

• Author: Nicole Stover
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 20
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2-4 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Searing
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound U10 or U10-20 scallops, side muscle removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 large shallot, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 10–12 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
• 1/3 cup dry white wine such as pinot grigio
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade, plush extra for serving
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

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Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Allow it to heat through. Add the shallots and let the sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the garlic and allow it to cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes, 1/4 fine sea salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and then allow the tomatoes to cook until they begin to release their juices and slump, 5-8 minutes.
4. Add the white wine and stir. Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook until most of the wine has evaporated, 5-8 minutes.
5. While the sauce is simmering heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirling it around so it fully coats your pan. Let the oil heat through until almost most smoking.
6. Pat your scallops dry. If you haven’t already remove the side muscle. Lightly season one side with a pinch of fine sea salt.
7. Place the seasoned side of the scallops into the hot skillet, making sure not to crowd them. It’s better to work in batches if necessary. Let the first side sear for 2 minutes. You will begin to see white creep up the sides. 
8. Season the second side of the scallops with the remaining sea salt.
9. Flip the scallops over and allow the second side to sear for 1 minute to 90 seconds. The internal temperature should be between 115-120 degrees. Remove the scallops from the pan and allow them to rest on a plate while you finish the sauce.
10. Stir in the basil and capers into the sauce. Taste for seasoning.
11. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the cold butter if adding.
12. Nestle the scallops into the sauce. Garnish with the lemon zest and additional basil.

Notes

1. If your scallops seem like they’re sticking when you go to flip them, give them an extra 30 seconds.
2. Always cook your scallops to temperature. Don’t worry if they aren’t as seared as you want them to be. It’s better to have a lighter, tender scallop than a beautifully seared scallop that’s overcooked, tough, and chewy.
3. If using kosher salt, you may need to add a little additional salt.
4. Cherry tomatoes can also be used for this recipe, or a combination of grape and cherry tomatoes. Use what looks good.
5. Make sure that you are using dry packed scallops.

Frequently Asked Questions